Heiko Herrlich had 15 outfield players available for the last open training session of the week – That included four U 17 players Adrian Stanilewicz, Ismail Devici, Max Schneider and Herdi Bukusu. Kai Havertz and Panagiotis Retsos were also back in training – as they were on Monday – and Julian Baumgartlinger also completed parts of the session. After recovering from a torn cruciate in his knee, the Austrian was able to complete individual work and was also able to take part in a warm-up and in positional play with his team-mates on the pitch. "That was a small step in the right direction for him today," said the Bayer 04 head coach. The plan is for 'Baumi' to rejoin full training next week.
Continuing knee problems for Charles Aránguiz had held him back but now he is making progress in rehab. The Werkself number 20 did half an hour's work with the ball on a neighbouring pitch before continuing his fitness programme in the gym at the BayArena.
Ahead of the Hanover game, the Werkself have two more full training sessions – the two sessions tomorrow and on Friday are closed to the public.
The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
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When Exequiel Palacios moved from the Argentinian club River Plate to Bayer Leverkusen on 1 January 2020, the then 21-year-old could not have imagined just how successful the next six and a half years would be for him. Pala, as he is known, had already won the Copa Libertadores – the most prestigious competition in South American club football – with River Plate. But there were still so many more trophies to come.
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To mark Exequiel Palacios’s departure, we’ve put together a compilation of the midfielder’s finest and most important goals from his six-and-a-half years at the club.
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