
There was already good news in the camp before Stefan Kießling, Lars Bender & Co. started on the ergometers in the Werkstatt at the BayArena. Youngster Kai Havertz will continue his career at the club he has played for since he was child having agreed a contract extension to 2022. Bayer 04 retain one of Germany's most talented youngsters and a homegrown lad at that.
The performance tests go on until Tuesday and on Wednesday at 10.30 Heiko Herrlich holds his first training session as the Bayer 04 head coach to hopefully start a successful season. There is great anticipation amongst the players. "After the last game of the season in Berlin some of the players came to me and said it can't go on like this," said Jonas Boldt in a media conference on Monday. Everybody at Leverkusen is looking to be positive going into the new season. "I'm not sceptical at all. The most important thing for us is to play as a team again in games," added the Bayer 04 sporting manager.
Internationals set to return
Heiko Herrlich is not yet able to work with his Germany trio Bernd Leno, Julian Brandt and Benny Henrichs as they are on a deserved holiday after winning the Confed Cup. The same applies to Charles Aránguiz who was on the losing side with Chile in the 1-0 defeat in the final against Germany, as well as Chicharito whose Mexico team finished in fourth place. And returnee Dominik Kohr is also enjoying a break after winning the European Championship title with the Germany U21s. All six pros are due to rejoin the squad at the training camp in Zell am See/Kaprun.
The first friendly of the season against SF Baumberg, due to be played on Saturday 8 July, had to be postponed after a fire in the stand in the Jahn Stadium in Langenfeld. Bayer 04 are currently involved in discussions to arrange an alternative friendly against opposition of a similar level.

Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without goalkeeper Mark Flekken and forward Nathan Tella for the time being.
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After a week in the Algarve, the Bayer 04 Women returned home on Saturday afternoon. The Werkself had six training sessions, two friendlies and a lot of time together as a team. Roberto Pätzold's team will be back in action in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga next Friday for the start of matchday 15.
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"We didn’t make the right decision at the right moments," said captain Robert Andrich after the 1-0 defeat away to TSG Hoffenheim, where Bayer 04 endeavoured to control the game but failed to score. The Werkself also had two enforced substitutions due to injuries. Nevertheless, the coach, captain and debutant Janis Blaswich are positive about the coming weeks. The Werkself review.
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Werkself TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 0-1 loss at TSG Hoffenheim on Matchday 18 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season...
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