“We’ve got the most important thing in the bag,” said the Werkself head coach Hannes Wolf as he briefly looked back at his first outing with the Black and Reds and the three points against the Royal Blues. The Bayer 04 squad had “a very good week of training with lots of sessions” behind them. “The players have really got involved and it was great fun for all of them.” Wolf had good news about the injury situation.
The head coach has the same squad available for the game in Sinsheim as he did against Schalke 04. Daley Sinkgraven is also an option again. The left-back missed the last four games due to a muscle injury. Paulinho is also back in full training following his torn cruciate but Wolf said the clash with TSG “has come too soon after his long injury lay-off .” With the exception of the long-term absentees Santiago Arias, Julian Baumgartlinger, Lars Bender and Timothy Fosu-Mensah plus Paulinho, all the other players are available for the matchday squad.
Wolf has placed great store in the right balance between attack and defence in his work on the training ground. It is down to the whole team regardless of which eleven players start this time. “We have very good options in every position and are happy we can make five substitutions,” said the Werkself head coach. “I hope that carries on after the coronavirus pandemic. It’s just a very good rule for team sport.”
The content of training sessions during the week was influenced by structural considerations as well as playing fast moves. Exactly the right preparation for the away game at Hoffenheim as Wolf declared in his analysis of the forthcoming opponents: “They have high quality, a lot of footballing class and pace in attack. Neither them nor us have a negative approach to this game. Therefore, it will be a very interesting watch.”
As it stands, this will be last Bundesliga fixture on a Monday night. This kick-off time is particularly unpopular with the fans and is set to be scrapped next season with #TSGB04 the last Monday game this term. Wolf: “I think this timing is difficult in normal times. Fans like to travel and they have to go to work or take their children to school the next day. I can really understand the day not being used in the future. In terms of the match tomorrow, I can say: We really want to win the Monday night game.”
Match information:
Broadcasters: DAZN and Werks11 Radio
Referee: The match officials will be announced on the day of the game

Fun, games and promising talent: At the fourth Bayer 04 Junior Girls’ Talent Day at the Kurtekotten training centre, 90 football-mad girls had the chance to put themselves forward for the Werkself youth teams. During a 90-minute training session, children born between 2011 and 2019 had the chance to demonstrate their skills.
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In issue #56 of Werkself Magazine, Afonso Moreira offers some interesting insights into his home country, Portugal, as part of the ‘Sag mal’ (Tell me) feature. Among other things, the 21-year-old talks about his favourite places in the country on the Iberian Peninsula, the local cuisine and music, as well as heroes and historical figures beyond the world of football. ‘Sag mal’ with Afonso Moreira!
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Exciting exhibitions, stimulating talk, and a great response: as part of the 22nd Leverkusen Kunstnacht (Art Night), Bismarckstraße also became an art promenade on Friday evening. Stadioneck and Schwadbud made their debut at the traditional event, whilst the Lev-Szene 86 clubhouse on Konrad-Adenauer-Platz was taking part for the third time. In Schlebusch, too, there was art on display with links to Bayer 04. Football wasn’t always the main focus, however.
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