After a strenuous and intensive week of training, the pros started work early on the final day in Austria. After breakfast, there was a pre-match routine at the team hotel ahead of the game against Mecca. After that, it is was a case of enjoying the remaining free time, packing bags and a last lunch at the team hotel Tauern Spa and then onto the bus, that took the Werkself to Grödig.
Before the Bayer 04 group could start the journey home, there was one final challenge. In a repeat of last year, the Herrlich team played their sixth friendly of the pre-season in Grödig near Salzburg in the afternoon. And it was against one of the oldest clubs in Saudi Arabia: Al-Wahda Mecca. With Fernando Carro, Rudi Völler, sporting director Jonas Boldt and former Bayer 04 player Ramalho looking on, the Werkself produced a battling performance in spite of the rigours of recent days and high temperatures once again; they earned a close but deserved 1-0 victory.
Straight after showering and a light evening meal in the dressing room at the Goldberg Stadium, it was onto the team bus for the short trip to Salzburg Airport. The plane took off at 19.30 CET on course for Cologne/Bonn. After landing at 20.40 CET it was time for the players, coaches and staff to be reunited with their families. And that was the end of the final chapter of the 2018 training camp in Austria. Monday is a day off and Tuesday will see the returning World Cup runner-up Tin Jedvaj and new signing Paulinho complete performance test – Heiko Herrlich's team will return to the training ground at the BayArena on Wednesday (8 August) .
Today, Tuesday 16 December (live on B04eSports Twitch channel from 18:00 CET), the Leverkusen eSports players face the final three matches of the online preliminary round of Showdown Three in the VBL Club Championship 2025/26. In addition to 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 and SV 07 Elversberg, they will play Fortuna Düsseldorf, who are still unbeaten in this third showdown. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Whether it's the Lions Club, Teens, Bayer 04 Club or Silver Lions - there was a lot going on again this year in all age-specific members' clubs. We look back on an eventful year with numerous events and many exclusive moments with the Werkself. We take a look at what the year 2025 had to offer for the members of the Bayer 04 Club...
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Bayer 04 picked up three points in the last home game of the year with 2-0 win against 1. FC Köln on matchday 14. After a dominant first half with good chances, Martin Terrier, who came on as a substitute in the second half, produced a brilliant scorpion kick to make to 1-0 for the Werkself (66') before captain Robert Andrich rounded off the derby victory with a header six minutes later.
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Bayer 04 host 1. FC Köln at the BayArena in the final home game of 2025 . Today’s match on Saturday, 13 December kicks off at 18:30.30 pm. The Werkself are looking for three points against 1. FC Köln, who are without a win in four games but they do have a shooting star in their ranks up front. The Bayer 04 Volunteering Award will be presented at the derby against the club from Cologne and another fan club will be honoured for many years of loyalty under the Cross. The matchday news.
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