Ahead of the toughest session of the week, most of the pros were in the players lounge at 07.15 CET. Lars Bender and Co. usually arrive for breakfast at the BayArena around 08.45 CET but getting up early was on the agenda today. The reason: Due to temperatures above 30 degrees, the coaching staff decided to bring forward the session to nine in the morning.
The Werkself players still put in a shift and were sweating and not just because of the temperatures. Peter Bosz constantly drove his players on and they had to finish the session with a tournament on small pitches. Again and again tackles, shots and intensive sprints. Even the goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky was exhausted after the final whistle was blown by the head coach. "I can hardly speak," said the 29-year-old who did manage to find his voice again when he spoke to the representatives of the media where he covered the areas where the Werkself need to keep working in spite of three successive wins for starters: "I want to have another clean sheet at long last. I don't like conceding goals at all."
One player who often was successful in achieving that missed the session on Tuesday. Jonathan Tah reported sick on Monday. The Werkself number four was better today but only able to complete an individual session on the ergometer in the Werkstatt. However, the medical department are confident that the Germany international will be able to rejoin his team-mates at the closed training session on Thursday.
Lucas Alario, who was present today, received very good news yesterday. After a break of two years, the Argentinian has been called up for his national side again (three caps, one goal). Alongside stars like Paulo Dybala and Nicolas Otamendi, the 26-year-old will be in the squad for the forthcoming friendlies in the USA against Chile (6 September) and Mexico (10 September). "Being called up again came as a bit of a surprise. Nevertheless, I'm obviously proud to have the chance to play for my country," said Alario as he thanked the national coach Lionel Scaloni, "for giving me this chance. It's great motivation for me to continue working hard on my game. I will enjoy the moment and definitely use the chance I now have."
The call-up also pleases head coach Peter Bosz: "I've got to know him as a lad who always does his job and has never complained to me: 'Coach, why aren't I playing?' Or: 'I've scored three goals. Why can't I play from the start again?' A lot of players do that. And that's okay. But he works and battles."
Before Saturday's Bundesliga fixture, all eyes at Leverkusen will be on Monaco on Thursday evening. The group stage for the UEFA Champions League will be drawn from 18.00 CET. While a delegation led by Fernando Carro, the chairman of the board, will be at the event in the Grimaldi Forum, Lukas Hradecky will be watching it on television. "I've waited 30 years for it," joked the 29-year-old who is set to play in Europe's premier club competition for the first time. "To hear the anthem at last, and play against the best clubs in Europe: That's always been on my bucket list." And the Finland keeper also has a wish regarding his first away tie. "Even when I was a small child I dreamed of playing at the Camp Nou." The home of Barcelona – Bayer 04 have played the Spanish side eight times in the Champions League. There is certainly room for improvement there with just one win and one draw so far.
For the third time in a row, the Leverkusen eSports players have made it through to the final round of the VBL Club Championship. From 7 to 8 March, they will compete for the German Club Championship at XPERION in Hamburg. At the start of the final round, they face Hamburger SV in the Round of 16. The match starts at 19:30 CET on Saturday, 7 March and will be broadcast live on the VBL Twitch channel. The eSports preview.
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"We played with pace and patience today. That was the decisive factor," said managing director sport Simon Rolfes following the 1-0 win at Hamburger SV in the rearranged match on Wednesday night. Although the Werkself still had room for improvement in terms of capitalising on their chances against the Red Shorts, they produced a different display to last time out and were rewarded for a concentrated performance over 90 minutes. The Werkself review features reaction to the game, including from a happy starting XI debutant, as well as the match stats.
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Werkself TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 1-0 win in rearranged match at Hamburger SV on Matchday 17 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season...
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The second attempt was a successful one: the Werkself won 1-0 at Hamburger SV in the rearranged Bundesliga Matchday 17 encounter. Head coach Kasper Hjulmand's side dominated play from the start and eventually scored the winning goal through Christian Kofane in the 73rd minute.
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