The Werkself women’s team entertained FC Köln early on Sunday evening in a the first friendly at Kurtekotten. Achim Feifel rang the changes in three 30-minute thirds. “We wanted to see how the different teams worked together on the pitch. Every player was able to play in her favourite position,” said the head coach. The Bayer 04 women took the lead on 38 minutes – the visitors put the ball in their own net from a corner. “We were pretty dangerous overall from corners and I liked that,” summed up Feifel, who does see the need for his defence to be more organised during transition moments. Sandra Maria Jessen doubled the lead on 52 minutes from a counter attack. FC Köln pulled a goal back from the penalty spot five minutes later – the referee spotted a ball by Nina Brüggemann. The game was abandoned on 76 minutes due to a thunderstorm.
The coaching staff were able to get a first look at their players after the summer break at the weekend: The Bundesliga women’s team beat the Bayer 04 women’s second team 5-0. Milena Nikolic (51’+ 54’), Henrike Sahlmann (60’), Jessica Wich (69’) and Juliane Wirtz (76’) scored the goals.
The first members of the Bayer 04 women’s squad met up at Kurtekotten at 07.15 CEST on Monday morning. Following coronavirus tests, the team bus was loaded and Achim Feifel and his squad headed off for a one-week training camp in Westerwald. The team will be based on Wiesensee until Sunday, 23 August. “The hotel is quite secluded and we will be able to fully focus on training and, above all, work on fitness and tactics. There will also be team building activities – that helps bonding,” said Feifel.
There will be up to three coaching sessions a day in Westerwald and there should have been a friendly against the Standard Liege women’s team at the end of the week on Saturday, 22 August. However, due to coronavirus restrictions, the Belgian top-flight side are not allowed to travel abroad and the game has been called off at short notice. As an alternative, the women’s team will play an internal eleven-a-side practice match.
With the exception of the injured Pauline Wimmer (torn cruciate) and Nicole Banecki (back problems), all the players will be at the training camp. Antonia Göransson has returned home to Sweden. The contract with the 29-year-old has been terminated by mutual agreement. Göransson will play for the Swedish club Växjö DFF this season.
The Black and Reds kick off the new Bundesliga campaign today, Saturday 29 August (kick-off 15:30 CEST), away to newly promoted SV 07 Elversberg – and the Werkself will come up against a familiar face who is currently causing a stir at ‘Elv’. For an affordable and easy journey to the Saarland, the 1,600 travelling fans can still use the WERKSELFgo car-share platform. Today’s matchday news..
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The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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The Bundesliga is back. On Saturday 29 August (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself are away to SV 07 Elversberg on matchday 1 of the new season. Ahead of the clash at the URSAPHARM Arena on Kaiserlinde, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about the importance of a successful start and the motivation of the league newcomers from the Saarland.
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On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
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After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
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