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 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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Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personal Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
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You have voted – your ‘Team of the Quarter-Century’ has been decided! This historic selection, covering the period from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2024, features honorary captains, Bundesliga champions, double winners and Champions League finalists. Edmond Tapsoba is the only player from the current Bayer 04 squad to make it into the starting XI, while his team-mate Patrik Schick is on the bench. Simon Rolfes, the current managing director sport, is also in the lie-up. A truly special team that brings together a quarter of a century of Bayer 04 history – and has left a decisive mark on the club.
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Following Patrik Schick, Mark Flekken, Ibrahim Maza and Kerim Alajbegovic earlier this week, the next World Cup participant is back on the training ground in Leverkusen: On Thursday 30 July, Malik Tillman rejoined the squad, completing his first training session under head coach Carles Martínez.
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Werkself TV shows the highlights of the 4-0 victory in the friendly match against KRC Genk...
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