The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger divides their report on the 2-1 home win against Schalke 04 into categories including one entitled 'That was good': "The efforts of the new Leverkusen coaching staff to be more compact and adopt a more defensive approach to the game were modestly and industriously implemented."
Hannes Wolf made six changes in his first game in charge of the Werkself compared with the 3-0 defeat at Hertha Berlin, the last match for Peter Bosz in charge of the Black and Reds. That included the return of Lukas Hradecky in goal and another experienced leader came into a newly formed back three in the shape of Sven Bender. The latter was named man of the match by the KStA for the following reasons: "The key defender firstly provided the necessary organisation in the defence […]. On top of that, he won 67 per cent of challenges and completed 92 per cent of his passes."
Hradecky had missed seven games due to his Achilles injury. Sven Bender had been sidelined for five games before the clash with the Royal Blues. And Exequiel Palacios was able to look back at an even longer spell on the sidelines ahead of #B04S04: Across all competitions, the Argentinian watched nine games from the bench with his last Bundesliga appearance back on 1 November of last year. However, Wolf put 'Pala' straight into his first Leverkusen starting eleven – and that selection was justified with a commanding and energetic performance. The Rheinische Post correctly declares that the 22-year-old midfielder played with "aggressive tackling and great commitment."
The Express talks about a "comeback festival." On the one hand, due to the appearance of the previously mentioned Werkself trio and, on the other, because of the Schalke 04 striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. The 37-year-old was in the Schalke starting line-up for the first time after injury and he scored on 81 minutes to make it 2-1 after goals from Lucas Alario (26’) and Patrik Schick (72’). Huntelaar is now Schalke's oldest ever goalscorer in the Bundesliga.
The Bild-Zeitung uses a short but important quote from the new Bayer 04 head coach Wolf. The 39-year-old said after his debut victory: "We can and should create more chances. It could be better. But I'm happy with the win." The kicker chooses the word "efficiency" used widely in football jargon.
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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