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.
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.
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Bayer 04 put in a brilliant performance to beat RB Leipzig 4-1 on Bundesliga matchday 32 and are now fourth in a Champions League spot. The Black and Reds took control of the game right from the start and, with 75 per cent possession at one stage, took a 2-0 lead into the break through Patrik Schick (25’) and Nathan Tella (45+1’). The visitors initially tried to do more after the break, but the Werkself remained determined and Schick scored his second goal to increase the lead to 3-0 (76'). The Red Bulls pulled a goal back through Christoph Baumgartner (80'), but the disciplined Leverkusen side were not rattled - and certainly not Schick: The Czechia international crowned a brilliant display with his third goal shortly before the final whistle to make the final score 4-1.
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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.
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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.
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