The flight departed in the direction of the Alps from Cologne Bonn Airport at 10.30 CEST. After a quiet 70-minute flight, the aeroplane landed safely at Salzburg Airport. On the tarmac, a delegation from Salzburger Land, a partner in the sponsors club at Bayer 04, met the Werkself and the support group. The team, coaching staff, support team and management lined up for a photo with the partner, Fernando Carro presented Leo Bauernberger (CEO at Salzburger Land) with a brand-new Bayer 04 home shirt. That was followed by the transfer to the accommodation in Kaprun.
A total of 24 players travelled to Austria. In goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky and striker Lucas Alario, head coach Gerardo Seoane welcomed two Werkself players back to the squad for a first session run by the Swiss manager. Originally, Joel Pohjanpalo was set to return at the training camp after the European Championship just like Hradecky. However, the Finn tested positive for Covid-19. "Joel Pohjanpalo had a good European Championship. It's a pity he couldn't join the flight. At the same time, it could happen again in 18 months that are pandemic forces a player into self-isolation," said sporting director Simon Rolfes.
At exactly 16.32 CEST, head coach Seoane welcomed his players for the first time onto the pitch at the Alois Latini Stadium right next to Lake Zeller. The session started with a couple of relaxed circuits of the pitch and then the fitness coaches started a warm-up routine on the neighbouring pitch. After that, Karim Bellarabi had to end the session early due to muscular problems as did Demarai Gray shortly after that. Returnee Alario and youngster Zidan Sertdemir trained on their own while the rest of the Werkself squad had to complete passing drills as well as an intensive practice match.
In spite of being so far away from the Rhineland and the hometown of Leverkusen, the flood disaster in North Rhine-Westphalia and other parts of Germany was in the minds of the players of the black and red delegation in Kaprun. Jonathan Tah declared: "Unfortunately in Leverkusen and its surroundings everything is currently submerged in the true sense of the word. That's why a lot of people need support." You can find out how to help out HERE.
Bayer 04 are committed to helping out in different ways during this current exceptional situation, including immediate aid with a donation to the 'Leverkusen Hilft' campaign organised by the community foundation of the City of Leverkusen.
The day was rounded off with Moussa Diaby and Jonathan Tah enjoying exciting challenges in mini table tennis, mini basketball and a goal wall shoot-out – at the 'Kaprun Olympic Games'. Room 151 at the Tauern Spa Hotel was turned into a small arena for Bayer 04 TV productions. More will be available over the course of the week on our social media channels.
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month.
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Kasper Hjulmand has led the Werkself back to winning ways and is back in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League with Bayer 04 after the 3-0 win against Villarreal on Wednesday evening. In an interview with the Werkself magazine at the BayArena in the team meeting room, directly opposite the dressing room, he provided some special insights for the current issue, which was published in January. A conversation with the 53-year-old coach about values, attitudes and personal experiences as well as interests outside of football.
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The thrilling 3-1 win for Bayer 04 against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Hinrunde is a fond memory for Alejandro Grimaldo, with his brace from free kicks, and coach Kasper Hjulmand, who was in the dugout under the Cross for the first time. Now comes the return fixture in the metropolis on the River Main and after going out of the DFB Pokal and the Champions League, the full focus at Eintracht, currently managed by two interim coaches, is now on the Bundesliga. For their part, the Werkself will do everything in their power to continue the longest winning run against a Bundesliga club. The matchday news.
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Bayer 04 have ended Artem Stepanov’s loan deal at Nürnberg and agreed a new loan to Utrecht in the Netherlands. The Ukrainian striker did not play as much as hoped for at the Bundesliga 2 club and will now continue his development in the Eredivisie for the rest of 2025/26.
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The draw for the knockout play-offs of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League was made on Friday, 30 January and saw Bayer 04 paired with Olympiacos. It’s a reunion with the Greek side following the Werkself’s 2-0 loss in Athens on Matchday 7 of the league phase.
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