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The Spanish capital was home to Xabi Alonso for five years. As a player with Real Madrid, the now 40-year-old regularly faced the city rivals. Back then as today in the dugout at Atlético Madrid: Diego Simeone. "The ways of the coach are reflected in the team, the whole club and the fans of Atlético," said Alonso about the Argentinian who has been with the Rojiblancos since 2011. "Diego Simeone is a great coach and knows how to lead his team and take the crowd with him. But we are ready for this stage tomorrow night."
While Atlético Madrid and the Werkself meet late on Wednesday evening (21.00 CEST), Club Brugge and Porto face each other at 18.45 CEST. Alonso: "It could be to our advantage if we know the other result from our group before we kick-off. That could give us more energy for our game."
Regardless of the other match and result, there is already great motivation and anticipation within the team for a successful conclusion to the clash with the Rojiblancos. Jeremie Frimpong, who also fielded questions from the German and Spanish media representatives on Tuesday evening, stressed: "All of us in the team know the importance of this match. We are ready to give 100 per cent tomorrow and do all we can to win."
Above all, avoiding mistakes in the Werkself’s own game is required to take the three points back to Leverkusen. "We saw against Porto that the smallest error can be punished immediately at this level. We can't afford that to happen tomorrow," declared Alonso who will have to manage without Kerem Demirbay, Charles Aránguiz and Sardar Azmoun in the return game against Atlético.
It remains to be seen whether Patrik Schick will be available for the Atletico game. The Czech striker was recently sidelined with a groin problem but he did travel to Madrid on Tuesday. "Patrik has another day to recover so we won't make a decision about him today," explained Alonso.
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
Show moreTo all Bayer 04 fans: The Fanwelt will be closed all day next Monday 30 June. This is due to preparations for the change of kit supplier from Castore to New Balance on Tuesday 1 July.
Show moreThe Norway U23 international Julie Jorde has completed the move from Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Brøndby IF. The twelve-time champions of Denmark have signed the midfielder on permanent terms after her loan move from the Bundesliga to Denmark in the winter.
Show moreIt is almost two years since Bayer 04 new signing Abdoulaye Faye first stepped foot into the BayArena as a player for the Swedish club BK Häcken in the opening match in the 2023/24 Europa League campaign. A day before his nineteenth birthday, the central defender did not play in the 4-0 win for the Werkself but it was "an incredible night" for him on 21 September 2023 as he explained in his first interview on bayer04.de. "I watched the players and saw the fans. I liked it." It was also the first European night early on in his career. He only joined the then champions of Sweden in the cold north of Europe from his home in Senegal a few weeks before that special moment. Bayer04.de profiles our new defender.
Show moreWelcome, Abdoulaye Faye. The 20-year-old Senegalese central defender joins Leverkusen from top-flight Swedish club BK Häcken. In his first interview he talks about his move to Bayer 04 and his targets with the Werkself.
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