SUMMARY: MORE ACTION AFTER THE BREAK
The story of the match is quickly told. After a reasonable first half without any notable highlights, where Patrik Schick had the best chance for the Werkself with a header (36’), the game took off after the restart. Schick did not score this time but stood out as a selfless provider when he beat two Freiburg players and set up Lucas Alario to score the opener (54’). Schick did hit the bar (59’), Paulinho the outside of the post (64’). Freiburg levelled late on with a goal from Haberer (88’) before Bayer 04 regained the lead against opponents risking everything. A header from Sardar Azmoun also hit the woodwork but Exequiel Palacios made it 2-1 in the seventh minute of added time with a shot from just inside the halfway line into the empty Freiburg net. HERE is the match report.
REACTION: RUDI AND BAUMI SAY THANK YOU
On a day where football was no longer centre stage from a Leverkusen perspective, attention was primarily on Rudi Völler and Julian Baumgartlinger. “There is definitely no one in German football who will not miss him,” said Freiburg coach Christian Streich about the departing Bayer 04 sporting managing director. Both Völler and Julian Baumgartlinger, who also said farewell after six years in Black and Red, were visibly moved. “Today is the day where I’d like to say thank you to you all,” said Völler who climbed onto the fence in the North Stand to celebrate with the fans at the end of the game: “The big challenge was not to get injured climbing this mountain.” Baumi shared an insight into his emotions: “I’m deeply affected and eternally grateful for the appreciation I’ve always experienced here and, above all, today. Thank you for six great years! We will definitely meet again – either in the stadium or outside.”
PERSONNEL: A PARTY WITH FORMER GREATS
You never completely leave: Rudi Völler remains at Bayer 04 after the end of his term in management as a member of the shareholders committee and as a club ambassador. And it is certain that players like Julian Baumgartlinger will always have a strong connection to “their” club. In that respect, it was great that the most recent Bayer 04 honorary captain Lars Bender was again a guest at the BayArena. Bender was one of the many VIP guests on Saturday night at the farewell party for Rudi Völler at the Bayer AG casino. In addition to Bayer 04 staff, who presented Völler with a set of golf clubs, there were many other greats from the Leverkusen past including former coach Dragoslav Stepanovic, Berti Vogts and Christoph Daum as well as the former club bosses Reiner Calmund and Wolfgang Holzhäuser.
STATS: NOBODY PICKED UP MORE POINTS IN THE RÜCKRUNDE
The important stats were certain before the game: Bayer 04 finished third in the table and have qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the thirteenth time in the club’s history. In addition, the two goals for the Werkself against SC Freiburg extends the record to 80 goals in a season. Also worth noting: Bayer 04 are the second best away team in the league with 32 points from 17 matches behind FC Bayern (36). And no team picked up more points than Leverkusen in the Rückrunde (36, as did RB Leipzig).
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY: A WIN WITH 04 KEEPERS
For the media, the departure of Rudi Völler played the main role rather than the match against Freiburg. “Ruuudi climbs the fence to lead the singing,” is the headline in the Express. Nearly all the other reports were according to the motto “Bayer celebrate Völler”. The Bild am Sonntag does look at one curiosity: “Leverkusen win with four keepers. Bayer coach Seoane gives goalkeeper Lunev his Bundesliga debut and also has three other goalkeepers (Hradecky, Lomb, Grill) on the bench as a thank you for their hard work and loyalty over the season.”
OUTLOOK: OFF TO MEXICO
There is a small postscript for the Werkself at the end of this season: A Leverkusen delegation sets off from Frankfurt airport on Sunday for a six-day Mexico trip. In addition to a friendly on Tuesday 17 May at Mexican top-flight club Deportivo Toluca there will be a range of marketing and PR events as part of the centenary celebrations at Bayer Mexico. After holidays and the summer break – the international players have a number of fixtures in June – Gerardo Seoane will welcome his squad back to training on 27 June 27.
Issa Traoré is moving from Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Slovakian top-flight side AS Trencin. The club has loaned the centre-back out for one year to this year’s ninth-placed team in the Slovakian league.
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Assistant coach Remzi Kahraman is leaving the Bayer 04 Women’s team with immediate effect to take up a new challenge abroad. The club has agreed to the 31-year-old’s request to leave, although his contract was originally due to run until 2027. A decision on his successor will be announced shortly.
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At the U19 European Championship in Wales, the Germany U19 national team lost their third and final group match 4-0 to Spain. Several regulars, including Bayer 04 players Montrell Culbreath and Francis Onyeka (on loan to SV Elversberg), who had combined for four goals and assists in the two previous victories, did not feature,. Germany had already secured their place in the semi-finals with a game to spare.
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Two weeks into the preseason, the Bayer 04 Women have secured their first victory. Coach Roberto Pätzold’s team won their first friendly 2–0 against Bundesliga newcomers Mainz 05. In front of 160 spectators at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre, the two summer signings, Maja Sternad (80’) and Justine Brandau (90’), scored for the Black and Reds.
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