From Kurtekotten via the BayArena to the national side: "It's great for me that the club I've been at since I was 13 years old has given me all these opportunities," said Henrichs who started playing for the Werkself in the U8 team. "I'm very happy I've made it as a professional and an international at Bayer 04. At Leverkusen I’ve always been shown so much confidence, encouraged and developed. Now, after a difficult season, I want to help the club to get back to the level that Bayer 04 stands for."
In that respect, sporting director Rudi Völler sees the contract extension as a special sign. "Benny has developed an outstanding quality over the last year and a half and that has made him attractive to big clubs in Europe," declared Völler. "That made it even more important for us to keep in here for the long term. Benny is not just a top player but also a role model at Leverkusen. He's played for Bayer since he was a kid and he will be one of the players to help form a promising and effective team again.
Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
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Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
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Opening opponents, derby weekends, the opponents in the season finale: This information and more will be available to Bayer 04 fans on Thursday, 2 July, when the 2026/27 Bundesliga fixture list is published.
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The next footballing highlight is just around the corner: the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 23rd edition of the tournament, will be held in the USA, Canada and Mexico and feature 48 teams for the first time. Bayer04.de has all the latest on the Werkself players called up to represent their countries.
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While the majority of the Bayer 04 Women are enjoying their summer break, nine Werkself players will be on duty for their national teams in the coming days. Three of them are competing for a place at the World Cup, while six are involved in two friendlies with the Germany U23 team.
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