Back
6.09.2022Champions League

Andrich on Champions League: ‘Feel great anticipation’

Bayer 04 have arrived in Bruges: A brief pitch inspection at the Jan Breydel Stadium was followed by the pre-match press conference at the media centre of the Belgian champions on Tuesday evening. The key statements from head coach Gerardo Seoane and Robert Andrich who could make his debut in the UEFA Champions League tomorrow against Club Brugge (kick-off: 21.00 CEST).

Display videos

Yes, I'd like to see videos dispalyed.

"There's no doubt we are looking forward to this new competition," stated Gerardo Seoane at the start. "Our participation in the Champions League is the reward for very good work last season by many, many people at our club."

According to the Swiss coach, the Werkself are expecting the Belgian champions to be a "team strong at home who have a good mix of the physical and footballing quality."

Debutant Andrich, winner Hudson-Odoi

While Gerardo Seoane has been in the dugout six times in the champions league in the 2018/29 season as the head coach of the Swiss club Young Boys Bern, Robert Andrich is waiting for his first appearance in Europe's premier club competition. The Werkself number eight was playing in the third division four years ago but the dream of playing in the Champions League was in his mind back then: "I said to myself I’d do it by 27. Now I’m here at the age of 27 and I'm proud of it. It will be a moving, special moment for me. The anticipation is growing and growing!"

crop_20220903_JS_CLU_B04_MD1_0840.jpg

One player who does know how it feels to play in the Champions League is teammate Callum Hudson-Odoi. The six-year younger new signing at the Werkself won the tournament last summer with Chelsea. Ahead of the game, Seoane refused to divulge whether Hudson-Odoi would start at the Jan Breydel Stadium. The technically gifted Englishman with his confidence on the ball staked his claim with a "convincing" performance in Saturday's home game against SC Freiburg.

Over 1,200 Werkself Fans in Bruges

In spite of the 3-2 defeat against Freiburg, Seoane took several positives in the clash. So, the approach to the game against the Belgian champions will require "courage, energy and complete conviction," as the Leverkusen head coach declared at the end.

The Werkself will again be able to rely on strong support from the stands at the Jan Breydel Stadium: Over 1,200 Bayer 04 fans will be at the game on Wednesday night.

Related News

crop_Maza_Afrika_Cup.jpg
Bayer 04 - 27.12.2025

AFCON blog: Ben Seghir debut - Tapsoba and Maza score

Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...

Show more
Ansetzungen 16 bis 19
Women - 23.12.2025

Women: Home derby on a Friday night - matchdays 16 - 19 scheduled

Two Saturdays, one Friday and one Sunday: The dates for the Bayer 04 Women's team games on matchdays 16 to 19 have been finalised. Three of the four matches scheduled by the German Football Association (DFB) on Tuesday will be played at home at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium.

Show more
Francis Onyeka für den VfL Bochum 1848
Bayer 04 - 23.12.2025

Loan watch: Half-term report on Leverkusen players away on loan

Bayer 04 currently have a number of promising young talents on loan to various clubs in Europe with the aim of gaining match practice and furthering their individual development. Francis Onyeka and Farid Alfa-Ruprecht, for example, play for VfL Bochum 1848, while Artem Stepanov is a striker with 1. FC Nürnberg, coached by World Cup winner Miroslav Klose. Tim Oermann is a defender in the Austrian Bundesliga at top club SK Sturm Graz and Abdoulaye Faye is playing in France for FC Lorient, promoted to Ligue 1 this season. Bayer04.de reviews the first six months for the Leverkusen players out on loan.

Show more
Women lose to FC Bayern at the end of the year | 14th matchday
Werkself-TV - 22.12.2025

Women: TV-highlights of 0-3 loss against FC Bayern

Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 0-3 loss against FC Bayern on the 14th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.

Show more