
The Bio-Brotbox organisation has been active for many years in numerous German cities and regions in promoting healthy child nutrition. The campaign involves giving first year schoolchildren reusable lunch boxes with ingredients from organic farming. Bayer 04 have supported this campaign in Leverkusen in recent years and have often been directly involved in filling the boxes at NaturGut Ophoven. CEO Michael Schade, Wendell (pictured above in 2016 with the mayor Uwe Richrath) and Stefan Kießling have all helped to fill the lunch boxes with healthy items.
This year, Bayer 04 are supporting the thirteenth campaign in Leverkusen. The club has donated 1,800 muesli bars for the boxes to be handed to 1,620 first years shortly after they start school at the beginning of September. The communal packing event will certainly involve another member of the Werkself when the date is confirmed.
This year’s patron also has a very close connection to Bayer 04: Wilfried Schmickler (63),born in Hitdorf, is a cabaret artist and has always been a passionate supporter of the Black and Reds. “A healthy diet helps children feel good and learn well. Education is the most important issue at the moment where there is still a lot to achieve,” said Schmickler at the campaign press conference.

The Sports Tribunal of the German Football Association (DFB) has fined Bayer 04 Leverkusen €185,000 for spectators setting off pyrotechnic devices during a total of five competitive matches. This relates to four Bundesliga matches and the DFB Pokal semi-final against Bayern Munich. The highest individual fine relates to the away match at FC Köln at the end of April.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with U19 goalkeeper Simeon Rapsch. The Germany youth international goalkeeper has signed a long-term contract with the Werkself running to 30 June 2029. The 18-year-old joined Leverkusen from FC Viktoria Köln in the summer of 2024.
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Ken Izekor is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen to join third-tier side Alemannia Aachen with immediate effect. The 19-year-old centre-forward joined the club from Alemannia in 2018, and Izekor is now returning to his hometown.
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The Golden Boy Top 100 traditionally lists Europe’s most promising young players. In the latest update, published to mark the start of the new season, four current Werkself players – alongside loanee Francis Onyeka – feature on the list. This means Bayer 04 have the most players in contention of any Bundesliga club.
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