The leaving party for Rudi Völler at the Bayer casino was the perfect conclusion to an unforgettable day under the Bayer Cross: Following the 2-1 home win for the Werkself against SC Freiburg in front of a full house at the BayArena and the emotional farewell for the 1990 World Cup winner from the fans, the departing sporting managing director and old friends and colleagues plus Bayer 04 staff enjoyed a fitting evening together.
Day one after the Völler departure did not see the team, coaches and staff starting a well-deserved summer break. Instead they flew out to Central America for the #Bayer04MexicoTour.
Daley Sinkgraven and Co. met up at the BayArena on Sunday morning to travel to Frankfurt Airport by coach. The group took off for Mexico City at 14.15 CEST on Lufthansa flight LH498. The Werkself landed safe and sound on the other side of the Atlantic just over eleven hours later.
The players mainly used the time in the plane to rest with a small group including Sardar Azmoun and Moussa Diaby playing the card game UNO; and the two Werkself players clearly enjoyed it.
The plane landed at the airport in Mexico City at 18.44 with the Bayer 04 anthem playing as the flight staff said goodbye. The travelling Bayer 04 group were met at the exit from the terminal by a large group of Mexican fans plus several dozen media representatives and camera teams. Brian the Lion was also there to give his colleagues a warm welcome. Head coach Gerardo Seoane gave his first interview to the big American TV stations at the airport with a flurry of camera flashes. The Swiss coach said: “We played on Saturday and are all a bit tired from the long flight but we’re in good spirits and very much looking forward to the week here in Mexico.”
The journey to the team hotel in the centre of Mexico City was on a coach with special livery for the tour bearing the words ‘Bayer04MexicoTour – 100 Years Bayer in Mexico’. The Mexican capital is one of the ten biggest conurbations in the world. The Black and Red day of arrival ended with dinner at the hotel.
Monday brings the final pre-match workout on the training ground of the top-flight Mexican club UNAM Pumas plus a press conference with Bayer 04 head coach Gerardo Seoane and Ignacio Ambriz. The 57-year-old Mexican coaches the Pumas’ league rivals Deportivo Toluca who the Werkself meet in a friendly overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday German time.
With sixth place at the end of the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign, Bayer 04 ended a season in the top third of the table for the ninth time in a row. While the Werkself were narrowly eliminated in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 by eventual finalists Arsenal, the Black and Reds reached the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal for the third season in succession. As in previous years, you once again have the opportunity to vote for your Player of the Season. Voting is exclusively for Bayer 04 Club members and only via the Bayer 04 app up to and including 11 June.
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With 46 points in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga, the Bayer 04 Women’s team once again broke the previous season's club record and ended up in fifth place - 15 wins is also a record. As in previous years, you now have the opportunity to vote for your Player of the Season. Voting is open exclusively to Bayer 04 Club members and only via the Bayer 04 app by 11 June.
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Standing on the pitch where the Werkself players perform - for many Bayer 04 club members, this wish became reality at this year's Members' kickabout. Around 400 active participants of all ages took the opportunity to experience the BayArena from a new and special perspective. And there was also plenty going on in the stands: The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors in total and provided an atmospheric end to the season.
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Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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