Before the first training session at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre, head coach Achim Feifel gathered his players together for an in-depth meeting before stepping onto the pitch at 18.30 CEST. The group included goalkeeper Friederike Abt, Julia Pollak, Caroline Siems, Dina Blagojevic, Clara Fröhlich, Irina Pando and Amira Arfaoui. They all signed for Bayer 04 in the summer.
Lisanne Gräwe, ,who joined Bayer 04 from DFB Cup winners VfL Wolfsburg, missed the opening session. The 18-year-old is currently doing her basic training with the Bundeswehr and will join pre-season training in the next few weeks. Also missing were Nina Brüggemann, Jessica Wich, Melissa Friedrich and Ann-Kathrin Vinken. They are all currently in rehab and were only able to watch their teammates on Wednesday evening.
The programme on day one of the five-week pre-season consisted of drills with the ball primarily in enclosed space and finished with shots. The Women's team will undergo obligatory performance tests at the BayArena on Thursday and Friday. The next session on the training ground is planned for Sunday morning.
Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
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The Bayer 04 Women’s squad for the coming season is continuing to take shape: Centre-back Emily Wallrabenstein has moved to Leverkusen from Eintracht Frankfurt’s reserve team, who play in the Women’s Bundesliga 2. The 19-year-old has penned a contract until 30 June 2028.
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Bayern 04 Women have confirmed another summer signing, with midfielder Paulina Platner moving to Leverkusen from SGS Essen. The 20-year-old has signed a two-year contract with the Werkself.
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