Back
26.08.2022Werkself-TV

Seoane before #M05B04: “Focus is on defensive work”

The Werkself are away at Mainz on Saturday, 27 August (kick-off: 15:30 CEST) for Matchday 4 in the Bundesliga. It sees Gerardo Seoane and his side take on a host who are still unbeaten this season (W2, D1) and fourth in the table. The 43-year-old spoke at his press conference on Friday about what the team worked on in training during the week and the importance of defensive work for the meeting at the MEWA Arena.

Display videos

Yes, I'd like to see videos dispalyed.

Seoane appeared pleased with training over the past week. He said the team had worked with great concentration and focus over the past few days. “We’ve tried to tackle the negative situation together. You can only reproduce a Bundesliga matchday in small sequences in training, but I felt lots of motivation and energy to work on the game plan together after the disappointment.”

Challenges, communication, mentality

In terms of the on-field aspects, the areas of challenges, communication and mentality were tackled: “It needs a hint more from everyone in the current situation in terms of these points,” the Swiss coach added. “We have to show willingness, above all in challenges, accepting the rigorousness and supporting each other.”

They want to remain loyal to their attacking play, but the current focus has clearly been on defending. “Obviously we want to excite the spectators, score lots of goals and have greater vigour in attack, but we can only do that when we work in a compact, determined and aggressive way against the ball beforehand,” continued Seoane, who also says that these include shoring up against the counter, an organised covering defence and clearer positioning after turnovers.

Seoane: “Mainz play with confidence”

The 43-year-old has a clear goal for tomorrow’s game against Mainz: “We have to turn our words into actions and implement the things we’ve planned and trained.” Seoane believes the opposition is assured and determined: “Mainz play with confidence, especially at home, and play with a healthy dose of rigorousness and force. We want to stand up against that and play out our own situations well.”

unchanged squad

Seoane expects to be able to draw upon the same squad as last weekend’s loss to Hoffenheim. Charles Aranguiz has trained individually due to muscular complaints but was again able to work with the team yesterday. If the Chilean midfielder has no problems in Friday’s final session, he’ll be available on Saturday.

The Werkself have sold 1,614 tickets for the game at the MEWA Arena and are looking forward to great support in Mainz.

Related News

Rekord: Frauen feiern 14. Saisonsieg in Essen | 24. Spieltag
Werkself-TV - 03.05.2026

Women: TV-highlights of 4-0 win at SGS Essen

Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 4-0 win at SGS Essen on the 24th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.

Show more
Kurzpässe vor #B04RBL
Bundesliga - 02.05.2026

Matchday news #B04RBL: All in red for the next top match win

In the previous game against RB Leipzig in December last year, the Werkself turned came from behind to win 3-1 and further improved Leverkusen's already strong record against the Red Bulls. Montrell Culbreath stood out with his first goal on his debut for the Black and Reds. While the 18-year-old would certainly like to score a second goal against Leipzig on Saturday night, the attack-minded visitors come to the BayArena in confident mood after five Bundesliga victories in a row. The Nordkurve12 supporters group knows the Werkself will therefore once again be reliant on the vociferous support of the fans, and has once again called for the ‘Finally Red’ campaign in the run-in. Today’s matchday news.

Show more
Garcia und Grimaldo
eSports - 01.05.2026

Bayer 04 represented in Bundesliga Team of the Season again

Video games manufacturer Electronic Arts (EA), together with the German Football League (DFL), announced the top male and female selections for the 2025/26 Bundesliga season this week. Bayer 04 striker Vanessa Fudalla is in the starting eleven of the women's "Team of the Season". Alejandro Grimaldo and Aleix Garcia have been selected as bench players in the men's team.

Show more
Die Bayer 04-Fans in der BayArena
Bayer 04 - 01.05.2026

Derby win followed by top games against Leipzig and Stuttgart: Route for UCL qualification

After matchday 31 and the 2-1 derby win in Cologne, one thing is certain: Bayer 04 will at least compete in the UEFA Europa League in the coming 2026/27 campaign. But the Werkself want more. Looking at the race for Champions League qualification and the remaining three league fixtures, including against direct rivals, bayer04.de outlines the possible scenarios in the season run-in.

Show more
T-Shirt-Verkauf für den guten Zweck mit Edmond Tapsoba, Ibrahim Maza und Christian Kofane
Bayer 04 - 01.05.2026

Big crowd at shirt sale for a good cause with Tapsoba, Maza and Kofane - last chance at home matchday

This special event showed once again how strong Bayer 04 are as a team: As part of ‘BarmeniaGothaer gives joy’, the Werkself players Edmond Tapsoba, Ibrahim Maza and Christian Kofane supported the sale of individually designed T-shirts for a good cause at the Fanwelt on Thursday. Several hundred fans came to take part in the charity campaign. Leverkusen's main sponsor BarmeniaGothaer donated the proceeds to the Fondation Edmond Tapsoba, which helps people in Tapsoba's home country of Burkina Faso in their challenging everyday lives.

Show more