Back
14.01.2022Bundesliga

Seoane: 'Highly motivated' for clash with Foals – Amiri returns

The Werkself enter the next stage of the marathon Bundesliga season on the Lower Rhine: Bayer 04 are away to Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday, 15 January, in the evening fixture kicking off at 18.30 CET. Head coach Gerardo Seoane welcomes a player back.

The Swiss coach is "confident" regarding the clash with the Foals who beat FC Bayern 2-1 in their last outing. The 43-year-old boss has been encouraged by training this week. "The team were very focused and self-critical in dealing with the match against Union Berlin (2-2, ed.)," explained Gerardo Seoane at Friday's pre-match press conference. "The players responded accordingly in training."

seven ruled out

Nadiem Amiri has returned at the end of the week. The 25-year-old is fit and healthy after recovering from a Covid-19 infection. "Nadiem made a good impression," said Seoane. "So, he is available for the match."

Asked about media speculation of Amiri moving on, Seoane said: "It's January and the transfer window is open. Speculation is part and parcel of that. There is something to it but there's also an additional element from the media. That doesn't really interest me the day before a game. He's back with us and we're happy about that."

The following players are unavailable for the match against Borussia Mönchengladbach due to injury: Julian Baumgartlinger, Charles Aránguiz and Daley Sinkgraven. In addition, Edmond Tapsoba and Odilon Kossounou are away at the Africa Cup of Nations, goalkeeper Niklas Lomb and Paulinho are still in self-isolation.

"play our own game"

The Werkself have now gone four Bundesliga matches without a win. However, that has not created uncertainty in Gerardo Seoane's team as the Swiss coach emphasised: "We are highly motivated and focused on our jobs."

After five league matches without a win, the twelfth-placed team from Mönchengladbach started 2022 with a victory away to the record champions from Munich. In that game, Adi Hütter's team demonstrated their "dynamism and power but also their quality on the pitch. But I'm convinced that we will be able to play our own game and find the right answers."

Related News

Alejo Sarco
Bayer 04 - 20.01.2026

Bayer 04 loan striker Sarco to Borussia Mönchengladbach

Bayer 04 Leverkusen have agreed a loan deal with Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach for Argentinian striker Alejo Sarco. The 20-year-old joins Mönchengladbach with immediate effect for the rest of the season.

Show more
Trio
Champions League - 19.01.2026

Our next opponents: Olympiacos will have to make do without overhead kick star

After their first win on matchday 6 in the UCL league phase, Olympiacos are still in with a good chance of reaching the play-offs in the UEFA Champions League. The 2024 UEFA Conference League winners will be looking to go one better in their home match against Bayer 04 this Tuesday, 20 January (kick-off: 21:00 CET), but their stop scorer is unavailable. The lowdown on our next opponents.

Show more
Panagiotis Retsos
Champions League - 19.01.2026

‘I was very happy in Leverkusen’: 04 questions for former Werkself player and Olympiacos captain Panagiotis Retsos

Panagiotis, known as Panos, Retsos wore the Bayer 04 jersey for three years. Including his loan spells, he was under contract with the Werkself for a total of four and a half years. "It's a very special club for me," said the 27-year-old, who returned to his boyhood club Olympiacos in 2022, in an interview with bayer04.de. The former Leverkusen man is now captain and a first choice for the Werkself's next opponents in the UEFA Champions League. Ahead of the clash on Tuesday night, 20 January (kick-off: 21:00 CET), Retsos talks about his fond memories of his time in Leverkusen and the imminent reunion with some of his former team-mates. He also talks about who brought him to Leverkusen and why he likes getting older.

Show more
crop_imago1071437261.jpg
Bayer 04 - 18.01.2026

AFCON blog: Senegal win the tournament

Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...

Show more
Mark Flekken
Bayer 04 - 18.01.2026

Flekken and Tella out injured

Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without goalkeeper Mark Flekken and forward Nathan Tella for the time being.

Show more