The signing and announcement of the contract was held in a formal setting: SalzburgerLand invited Bayer 04 to the casino on Zeller See. The Werkself took the opportunity to turn out in force. “This is our fifth year here. This partnership is an absolute win-win situation for our club,” declared Bayer 04 managing director Michel Schade. “The facilities are excellent, the training ground is in great condition. Salzburger Land is an ideal location for a training camp. That’s why we keep coming here,” said Schade.
Bayer 04 sporting director Rudi Völler is not unduly concerned by the rainy weather this year: “We’ve always had great weather in the past. I don’t think it’s a bad thing the sun hasn’t shone as much this time. It’s more comfortable for training than extreme heat. The groundsmen are doing an outstanding job under these weather conditions too.”
“Feels like a family”
Leo Bauernberger, CEO of SalzburgerLand Tourismus GmbH: “We are very happy to continue our partnership with a top German club. The training camp in Zell am See/Kaprun obviously plays an important role. North-Rhine Westphalia is an important target market for Salzburger Land. We can use our partnership with Bayer 04 at our events to showcase the beauty of Salzburger Land.” The CEO of the holiday region of Zell am See/Kaprun, Renate Ecker, sees contact with Bayer 04 as much more than a partnership: “Guests have become friends. And now it feels like a family.”
This is the fifth year the Werkself have been in Salzburger Land for pre-season preparations. The Hotel Tauern Spa in Kaprun is once again the base for the team and the Alois Latini Stadium, home to FC Zell am See, the venue for the many intensive training sessions.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended Abdoulaye Faye’s contract by a further year to 30 June 2031. During the 2026/27 season, the talented defender will play for Celta Vigo on loan without an option to buy. The 21-year-old Senegalese is set to feature in La Liga and the UEFA Europa League with last season’s sixth-placed side in Spain.
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The Werkself's training camp in Weimarer Land all in one place: in our daily blog you'll find all the insights and updates from the day. The programme on day one (Sunday 2 August) includes a media round with managing director sport Simon Rolfes, free time for the team after the friendly against Rot-Weiss Essen and before an intensive week of training begins, as well as a coffee get-together where CEO Fernando Carro and Rolfes met around 100 fans in the afternoon.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have agreed Kerim Alajbegovic’s transfer to Italian record champions Juventus. The club brought the 18-year-old attacking player back to Leverkusen this summer via a buy-back option, following a season at Red Bull Salzburg. Until his move to Austria, the Bosnia international had been playing for Bayer 04’s Under-19s.
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A warm welcome to the Weimarer Land, Bayer 04! The Werkself moved into their accommodation for this year’s training camp on Saturday evening. In Blankenhain, Thuringia, head coach Carles Martínez’s team have a programme of gruelling training sessions – several of which will be open to fans – and team-building activities lined up for the next six days. We’ll be following the Werkself up close and providing you with exclusive insights, quotes, photos and videos from the training camp.
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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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