The first aim of the Werkself players in the morning – whether on the players floor in the hotel or at breakfast – led to Adam Hlozek. The Czech international celebrated his 21st birthday on Tuesday. He is the second birthday boy from the squad at the current training camp after Gustavo Puerta turned 20 on Sunday. Many happy returns, Adam!
Fernando Carro (CEO), goalkeeper Niklas Lomb and goalkeeping coach David Thiel will also celebrate their birthdays at the training camp.
The good news also spread to the training ground in the morning: Jonathan Tah again took part in large sections of the training together with his teammates. The defender trained on his own on Monday due to a blow to his thigh in training. After the warm-up routine, Tah and Co. completed moves in tight spaces with plenty of shots on goal.
Patrik Schick watched the first session of the day from the touchline. The striker did not want to miss the chance to observe his teammates from close-up. Schick is currently undergoing an individual rehab programme in the team hotel following his groin operation last month.
After the morning session, sporting managing director Simon Rolfes talked to the media present about the new signings and the current situation with squad planning: "We have taken the most important steps and we have the key elements for the team. Our new signings are all candidates for the first eleven. Of course, there may well be one or two changes in the squad. But the main positions are sorted and we've done what we wanted to do." On Jonathan Tah, the 41-year-old explained: "He certainly features in our plans." And in response to the question of whether teammate Edmond Tapsoba might be transferred, Rolfes said: "Eddy is a really important player for us. He still has a long time to go on his contract and therefore there is no reason for us to think about it."
Rolfes also talked about the targets for the forthcoming season: "The new signings have done the team good. Nevertheless, being ambitious means working hard for it every day. We still have a lot to do. We have to be right at it for the cup tie and the first Bundesliga matchday. And that means having to prepare well here."
The session in late afternoon was held in the hotel’s indoor tennis court due, in part, to the weather. Strengthening exercises were followed by recovery and stretching. Several players used the unusual location for a short tennis match. Florian Wirtz, Nadiem Amiri and Amine Adli demonstrated they know how to handle felt balls as well as footballs.
Day four in Saalfelden tomorrow again starts with an open training session in the morning – starting at 10.30 CEST. After lunch there will be a range of media events for several Werkself players, head coach Xabi Alonso and sporting managing director Simon Rolfes. After that there will be a team event for the whole travelling Bayer 04 group and a joint team meal in the evening.
With 22 days to go until the start of the Bundesliga campaign, the Bayer 04 Women’s team have gained a fresh boost of confidence. In a friendly against Belgian top-flight side KRC Genk on Saturday afternoon, coach Roberto Pätzold’s team secured a 1–0 win. Lobke Loonen (20’) scored the winner for the Black and Reds at the Kurtekotten training centre.
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A successful fourth preseason friendly ahead of the start of the training camp: The Werkself secured a 3-0 victory over Rot-Weiss Essen at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The goals in what was a commanding and dominant performance by Leverkusen from the outset were scored by Ibrahim Maza (8'), Patrik Schick from the penalty spot (23’) and, in the second half, Montrell Culbreath with a header (79’). The team set off for their training camp in Blankenhain in the Weimarer Land region after the game.
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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 personal 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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You have voted – your ‘Team of the Quarter-Century’ has been decided! This historic selection, covering the period from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2024, features honorary captains, Bundesliga champions, double winners and Champions League finalists. Edmond Tapsoba is the only player from the current Bayer 04 squad to make it into the starting XI, while his team-mate Patrik Schick is on the bench. Simon Rolfes, the current managing director sport, is also in the lie-up. A truly special team that brings together a quarter of a century of Bayer 04 history – and has left a decisive mark on the club.
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Following Patrik Schick, Mark Flekken, Ibrahim Maza and Kerim Alajbegovic earlier this week, the next World Cup participant is back on the training ground in Leverkusen: On Thursday 30 July, Malik Tillman rejoined the squad, completing his first training session under head coach Carles Martínez.
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