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.
Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and Bayer 04 loanee Francis Onyeka are part of Germany's final squad for the U19 European Championships this summer. The tournament is in Wales from 24 June to 12 July.
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Bayer 04 are away to third-division club SV Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal. That was the outcome of the draw on Saturday night, 6 June, at the German Football Museum in Dortmund. The Werkself first round tie will be played between 21 and 24 August. The exact date has yet to be finalised.
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Carles Martìnez is raring to go. The 42-year-old speaks in his first interview in Leverkusen about the club's development to date and how he wants to build on it. He describes his previous work in France, Kuwait, Qatar and his native Barcelona, his experience in developing young players, and the key steps between now and the start of pre-season training.
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New Bayer 04 head coach Carles Martínez has arrived in Leverkusen! At midday on Friday, the 42-year-old spoke in a press conference at the BayArena about his philosophy and his aims. Managing director sport Simon Rolfes also discussed the reasons for appointing the former Toulouse boss.
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