
The headline in the Kölner Stadt Anzeiger reads, 'Wake- up call at half-time' and highlights the animated intervention of the captain in the dressing room: "The input of Lars Bender during half-time clearly hit home. With the scoreline of 0-0 and a shots on goal ratio of 0 to 8, the Bayer 04 Leverkusen captain spoke out in the basement of the Düsseldorf stadium on Wednesday night to shake his team-mates into action. Kevin Volland did not want to divulge any details but it was all about Bayer 04 not playing as badly against the newly promoted Fortuna.'His words definitely had an effect,' said Volland - particularly where he was concerned. His two goals secured a 2-1 victory for Bayer 04 and the third win in succession."
The Kölnische Rundschau came to the following conclusion: "Recovery part three: Bayer 04 Leverkusen continued to battle their way out of the crisis on Wednesday night with a 2-1 win away to newly promoted Fortuna Düsseldorf. Once again led by their outstanding young star Kai Havertz and with two goals from Kevin Volland, the Werkself achieved a third win inn succession to move up to a mid-table position in the Bundesliga."
The Bild Zeitung showed concern about the housing situation of the double goalscorer: "Will his rent agreement be cancelled? Leverkusen win 2-1 at Fortuna because Kevin Volland (26) scores twice (50', 60'). Interesting: The striker, who hadn't scored in the Bundesliga since April (!), lives in Düsseldorf of all places. Volland has annoyed his neighbours! 50th minute: Corner from Bailey. Kohr rises and powers a header towards the far corner. Volland sticks out a foot. 1-0! 60th minute: Havertz lobs a delightful pass to Volland who only has to nod it in. 2-0!"
The Express sums up the sporting event in Düsseldorf with this common denominator: "Leverkusen only actually played 15 minutes of good football but that was enough for the clever Werkself side to take three points from Düsseldorf. A clinical Kevin Volland and an impressive goalkeeper made the difference against the newly promoted club." The paper highlights the outstanding display by Lukas Hradecky: "Less than seven minutes had gone and the Bayer keeper Lukas Hradecky had already twice saved his team from going behind. First of all, he turned away a shot from Bonito Ramadan heading for the top corner at the end of an impressive Düsseldorf move and shortly after that he kept out Rouwen Hennings."
The Rheinische Post report reads: "When the referee Manuel Gräfe blew for half-time on Wednesday night,the world of the Fortuna fans in the 40,046 crowd was still in order. The score was 0-0 but the hosts dominated an opponent of European quality in Bayer Leverkusen. The fact the game ended in a 2-1 defeat for Fortuna was, on the one hand, down to themselves due to careless finishing. On the other hand, the Werkself began to show their high, individual quality on the pitch after the break – and they overtook Fortuna in the Bundesliga table not undeservedly."


Midfielder Ruby Grant is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and joining Portuguese runners-up Sporting CP a year before her contract expires. The 24-year-old has been at the Werkself since January 2025.
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Bayer 04 have loaned Brazilian full-back Arthur to Bundesliga side Werder Bremen for one year. Arthur Augusto de Matos Soares – the full name of the right-back – has a contract with Leverkusen until 30 June 2031. At Werder, the 23-year-old is expected to make an impact and help the long-established club further consolidate their position in the Bundesliga.
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Bayer 04 have loaned defender Jeanuel Belocian to Spanish top-flight side Racing Santander. The 21-year-old defender joins the team currently ninth in La Liga until the end of the current 2026/27 season. Belocian’s contract remains valid until 30 June 2029. Last season, the 1.86-metre-tall U21 international was loaned to VfL Wolfsburg for six months.
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He knows the dressing room, the pitch and the club. But, above all, he knows the feeling of playing for the Werkself at the BayArena: Moussa Diaby is back in Leverkusen after three years. The lightning-fast winger has signed a contract with Bayer 04 until 2031 and he will once again wear the number 19 jersey. The left-footed player previously played for the club from 2019 to 2023, having arrived in the Rhineland from his native France as a promising young talent and eventually leaving the club – having established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s best attackers – to join Aston Villa in the Premier League. Now he has returned to Bayer 04 from Al-Ittihad FC in Saudi Arabia.
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