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.
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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Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
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Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
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