
Kai, you withdrew from the U19 European Championships in the summer to give yourself a break after last season. Now you're back from holiday – did you get chance to recover?
Havertz: Yes, I had about a month off and I used the time to rest and recover – including from school – and I think it’s all worked out really well.
The first days in the training camp are over. What are your impressions so far? Havertz: We've had a good start but you also see how tough it is. But that's why the pre-season is there and we've got to get through it. It's fun being back here with the lads and I think we'll have a few good days.
What are your aims the new season?
Havertz: I'd like to establish myself and get more time on the pitch. On top of that, I want to join the team in a new start and achieve our joint targets.
Last season you showed how versatile you are. But if you were the coach, where would you play yourself?
Havertz: I'm definitely a midfielder. But I'm still very young and I don't really mind where I play. The main thing is for me to play!
04 fan questions – thanks for joining in.
@Jonasovic(via Twitter): What would you have done after your A-levels if you're football career hadn't taken off so quickly?
Havertz: It's difficult to say. I've always wanted to work in sport. Of course, my aim was to end up here at some point – that is be a professional footballer. Definitely something to do with sports but I can't really imagine what that would have been exactly.
@crxfm(via Twitter): You are a very versatile player up front. But what's your favourite position?
Havertz: As I just said: I most like playing in central midfield but I don't really mind where I play at the moment – the main thing is that I'm on the pitch.
@Pat Mosby(via Facebook): Are Vladlen and Co. really better than you at FIFA?
Havertz: No, I dispute that. I just had a bad night yesterday. (He laughs) Vlad is very good but Atakan and Sam are definitely not better than me.
@Christian Waschkewitz(via Facebook): Do you have any rituals before matches?
Havertz: It wouldn't actually see ritual but perhaps a little foible: I always put on my left shin pad and then my left boot first. That's not really true ritual but that's what I do most of the time before games.

Bayer 04 are back at the BayArena! Under the slogan “One day. Two teams. One club.”, the Leverkusen stadium grounds will be transformed into a world of experiences – with a wide range of exclusive activities both on and off the pitch. Keep track of all the highlights in our blog for the 2026 season launch.
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Spurred on by a flawless hat-trick from Cornelia Kramer, the Bayer 04 women’s team won their penultimate pre-season friendly in commanding fashion. As part of the season launch, the Werkself beat Dutch top-flight side Feyenoord 7–0. In front of 3,000 spectators at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, Kramer (6’, 25’, 45’), Sofie Zdebel (47’), Maja Sternad (59'), Natasha Kowalski (83') and Vanessa Fudalla (86') scored the goals for coach Roberto Pätzold’s side.
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Kicking off the new season with a fresh look: Bayer 04, in collaboration with sportswear manufacturer New Balance, has unveiled the official kit for Leverkusen’s e-Sports players for the coming season. The jersey is now available from the Bayer 04 online shop and the Fanwelt.
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Paulo Sergio and Bayer 04 have enjoyed close ties since the Werkself training camp in his native Brazil last summer. The club legend is in charge of the Bayer 04 Soccer Academy, which opened in the summer of 2025, and he has also been at this year’s training camp in the Weimarer Land. As well as interacting with the many fans who travelled to the camp, the 1994 World Cup winner used the time to plan the next steps for the Academy together with club officials. In an interview with bayer04.de, Sergio spoke about the project’s future development, the upcoming visit by young Academy players to Leverkusen, and plans for the coming months in Germany and Brazil.
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A round-up of the Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land, all in one place: in our daily blog you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day five (Thursday 6 August) is as follows: The squad have the final open session of the training camp in the morning. After lunch, there will be a team event.
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