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Bayer 04’s most recent encounter with Paderborn came in July as Alonso’s side were beaten 2-1 in a pre-season friendly. Things were very different ahead of that game in Velbert compared to this week’s cup tie. “The game has still taught us a few helpful lessons,” the boss said at his press conference on Tuesday.
While Leverkusen have so far seen off opponents from lower leagues in the first two rounds, beating Teutonia Ottensen of the fourth tier and Sandhausen of the third division, Paderborn have claimed a 7-0 win at Energie Cottbus and stunned Bundesliga side Freiburg with a 3-1 away victory. “They played really well with and without the ball against Freiburg, showed a mature performance,” Alonso stated. “We can’t relax in this game but have to play with much more patience and control.”
The Spaniard is excited ahead of the round of 16 in a “special competition. The DFB-Pokal isn’t the easiest route to winning a title. There isn’t one. But it’s the shortest,” he added, once again calling for the great support of the fans. A total of 29,000 tickets have so far been sold for Wednesday’s game, with Bayer 04 expecting a sold-out home crowd. Around 2,300 fans are expected to come from Paderborn.
Alonso also confirmed at the press conference that Arthur suffered another injury in training on money. A precise diagnosis is still to be confirmed. All other players are available for the 42-year-old against Paderborn.
And while Alonso didn’t want to give any hints to his line-up when it comes to outfield players, he did confirm who his goalkeeper will be. “Matej Kovar will be in goal. It’s not a general decision but one for this game. It’s what we’ve always done so far.”
Talking about greater potential rotation, the coach stressed that every player is important: “I never talk about rotation but about the entire squad. So far, we’ve done things well. It’s a luxury to be able to decide.”
Season tickets for the Werkself home matches in the new Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga season are now on general sale. The season ticket is valid for all 13 matches at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The first home match will be played between 28 and 31 August against the runners-up, VfL Wolfsburg, followed by the clash with the German champions, Bayern Munich, between 11 and 14 September.
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A new team, a new environment, a new challenge—and yet one thing remains the same for Afonso Moreira: his attitude. Total dedication, discipline, and the drive to improve every day have defined the Portuguese player since his early days at Sporting CP. “Even back then, I realized I had to work hard to achieve my goals,” said the 21-year-old. His parents also instilled those values in him from a young age. Values that have driven him ever since, accompanied him to France when he signed for Lyon, and now also form the foundation for his new chapter at Bayer 04. At a media session, the lightning-fast winger spoke about his values, as well as his new teammates, the new coach, and his targets at the club.
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Bayer 04 are back on the pitch. Following the first training sessions, the Werkself play the first pre-season friendly on Saturday, July 18. The match against Oberliga club Sportfreunde Baumberg kicks off at 15:30 CEST in Monheim am Rhein. Fans unable to attend the match can watch head coach Carles Martínez’s first game in charge for free via a livestream at bayer04.de and on the Bayer 04 app, as well as on Werkself.tv (exclusively for members). Just log on and watch the games live. All the other Werkself preseason friendlies leading up to the 2026/27 season will also be streamed live for free.
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Former Bundesliga and Germany keeper Manfred Manglitz, who was promoted to the Oberliga West with Bayer 04 in 1962, passed away on Monday at the age of 86.
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