The Werkself started Sunday with a training session in Leverkusen. While part of the squad began with a session inside the BayArena, the rest of the players were on the training ground. Returnees from Euro 2024 and Copa América returned to the training ground with an audience of several hundred Bayer 04 fans. The Germany trio of Florian Wirtz, Jonathan Tah and Robert Andrich plus Switzerland's Granit Xhaka and Piero Hincapie, who played for Ecuador in the Copa América, were back on the training ground.
Head coach Xabi Alonso and his coaching staff put the newcomers and their teammates through their paces with a session starting with a range of strength and stability drills – with and without the ball. That was followed by short-passing moves. The session ended after an hour. Wirtz and Co. were happy to meet all requests for autographs and selfies. After a communal lunch, the group set off for Donaueschingen.
21 Werkself players plus eight youth team players and the coaching and other staff arrived at Der Öschberghof hotel late in the afternoon (see squad report). Having arrived at their destination, the German double winners were greeted with an excellent reception from several hundred friends under blue skies.
A traditional reception was provided by a group playing local music. Alonso was presented with a Black Forest cuckoo clock and Jonas Hofmann accepted a large Black Forest gateaux on behalf of the whole squad – with smaller versions of the famous cake being presented to today's birthday boys Niklas Lomb and goalkeeping coach David Thiel.
A number of photos were taken with a woman wearing traditional Black Forest attire. Wirtz and Co. signed autographs and posed for selfies with the fans before heading off for a communal evening meal. Several players ended the day playing table tennis in the team area at the hotel with some exciting matches.
Alonso will lead a training session with his players tomorrow morning on the neighbouring training ground of SV Aasen. The Werkself will make the two and a half kilometre journey from the hotel on bicycles. The session begins at 10.30 CEST and is an open to Bayer 04 fans.
The second international break of the 2025/26 season will begin after the Bundesliga match against Union Berlin (Saturday, 4 October, 15:30 CEST). The latest information on call-ups.
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Alejo Sarco and Argentina won their second group match at the U20 World Cup in Chile on Wednesday night. They beat Australia 4-1 with Sarco setting the tone early with a goal in the third minute. As in the first group game against Cuba, where Sarco scored twice, the 19-year-old was also named "Player of the Match" against Australia.
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Second game, second draw in the UEFA Champions League 2025/26: The Werkself were held to a 1-1 draw by Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven on matchday two in the league phase. After an early but brief setback in the form of an offside goal by Ivan Perisic for the visitors (5'), the Werkself took control and created numerous good chances in the first half. Leverkusen took a deserved lead after the break in the 65th minute through Christian Kofane. However, PSV's Ismael Saibari replied a few minutes later to level at 1-1 (72').
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In the second match in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26, the Werkself host PSV Eindhoven this Wednesday evening, 1 October (kick-off: 21:00 CEST/live on DAZN and on Werkself Radio). PSV have injury problems but are in confident mood after winning two consecutive league titles. PSV coach Peter Bosz and keeper Matej Kovar are two familiar faces who have fond memories of their Bayer 04 days. The latest information on the UCL match at the BayArena can be found in out matchday news.
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Bayer 04 beat PSV Eindhoven 3-2 on matchday two to clock up the next three points in the UCL Youth League 2025/26. In front of just under 500 spectators at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, the visitors from the Netherlands led at half-time, but the Werkself turned the game round in the second 45. That makes it two wins on the bounce after the victory in Copenhagen.
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