Sadik, first of all congratulations belatedly on your 19th birthday. What was the day like for you?
Fofana: Thank you. It definitely wasn't a normal birthday for me. Germany is a few hours ahead so I already had lots of messages from home before my birthday here. And, to be honest: Not everyone can say they had their 19th birthday in Mexico. (He laughs)
Are there any traditions in the team you have to adhere to?
Fofana: Yes, the birthday boy traditionally runs through a guard of honour formed by the other players. Of course, I had to do that at the training session on Monday. But I was particularly happy to do it given the location.
Was there a birthday song?
Fofana: Actually I was supposed to do a serenade. But not because of my birthday but rather as a newcomer. Fortunately the others were particularly interested in that subject. (He laughs) But if they say something then I'll be happy to give the lads a speech – singing isn't my thing.
Aourir: Sadik is really good at giving speeches anyway.
Your season with the U19s was already finished…
Aourir: We had time off from training after our last game with the U19s. At school on Friday I got a call from Stefan Kießling saying I'd be flying off to Mexico two days later. I was really happy about that.
Fofana: Last week I trained on my own at the Performance Centre. On Wednesday I was supposed to send my photo to the club for my passport and on Friday I got the call with the explanation.
What was the highlight of the #Bayer04MexicoTour for you two?
Aourir: Definitely the game in Toluca. The atmosphere at the stadium was fantastic. When I got onto the pitch it was even louder and more impressive than it was outside. It felt like I was aware of every individual fan in the stand.
You also had other events around the game. What were they like?
Fofana: The media attention and the interest from the fans are obviously something quite new for us two. What I'll particularly remember was the visit to the Bayer Works. All the employees wanted to have photographs with us and our autographs. Once or twice I had to look to the more experienced lads to see what I was supposed to do.
Have your teammates from the U19s contacted you in the past days and asked you what you thought of Mexico?
Aourir: Yes, all of them actually. They all congratulated us on playing in the game on our team group on Snapchat and also told us what's happening in training with U19s at the moment. It feels good to know we all continue to get on and that nobody’s jealous or the like.
Fofana: We’re a very tight group in the U19s. When we have days off we don't go out to eat in twos or threes but rather with nine or ten of us together.
The summer break comes now after the #Bayer04MexicoTour. What are your plans?
Aourir: I've still got three weeks of school and then we're back in training with the U19s. I'll definitely fly south in the holidays.
Fofana: I'll wait and see what happens.
Two Saturdays, one Friday and one Sunday: The dates for the Bayer 04 Women's team games on matchdays 16 to 19 have been finalised. Three of the four matches scheduled by the German Football Association (DFB) on Tuesday will be played at home at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium.
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Despite a courageous display, the Bayer 04 Women missed out on a surprise at the start of the second half of the Bundesliga season. Coach Roberto Pätzold's team lost 3-0 to league leaders Bayern Munich on Monday night. An early goal from the clinical visitors, a disputed penalty and another spot-kick prevented Leverkusen, who are seventh in the table on 22 points from 14 games, from picking up a point in front of 3,011 spectators at the sold-out Ulrich Haberland Stadium.
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The Werkself rang in the Black and Red festive season with an emotional visit to Klinikum Leverkusen. Kristin Kögel, Melissa Friedrich and Louisa Remien from the Bayer 04 Women's team and Jonas Hofmann, Janis Blaswich and Niklas Lomb from the first team visited the young patients on the children's ward and, for the first time, on the ‘Zeitinsel’ children's palliative care unit. They brought a host of lovingly wrapped presents ensuring a big surprise for young and old alike.
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Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
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