Journalists and camera teams plus fans in Bayer 04 shirts were waiting in numbers at the entrance for the team led by head coach Gerardo Seoane. Brian the Lion was again on hand. After getting changed, Jonathan Tah and Co. went out onto the pitch.
The mood during the relaxed routines of keepie-uppies and rondos before the start of training could not have been better and birthday boy Sadik Fofana (many happy returns on number 19) plus Ayman Aourir from the U19 squad were involved as well; 16 outfield players and 04 goalkeepers worked up a sweat against the backdrop of a 30-metre high rock face at the UNAM Pumas academy. The rondo was obviously followed by a traditional birthday guard of honour for Fofana.
The good mood on the pitch was definitely helped by a short and unexpected shower from the sprinkler system, as the training session before the friendly against Deportivo Toluca was held with the temperature at 25 degrees in blazing sunshine under a clear blue sky.
During the 60-minute session, fans took plenty of photos of the players on the pitch - and of Brian the Lion off it. The end of the training session saw the arrival of the UNAM Pumas mascot - a puma in the kit of the Mexican top-flight team and he warmly welcomed Brian to ‘his’ patch.
The work-out was followed by numerous interviews with Mexican and American journalists - primarily with the South American Werkself players. Argentina international Lucas Alario said: “It feels special to be back here in South America. We’re close to our home country here. We’re enjoying the time here very much.”
For Lukas Hradecky and Co., after taking plenty of time out for photos with the fans, it was back to the team hotel for lunch. While the team were given the rest of the day off, Gerardo Seoane had the pre-match press conference ahead of the friendly against Toluca in the afternoon.
It's a thrilling situation: as the season draws to a close, Stuttgart and Bayer 04 are heading into the home stretch almost neck and neck. After 32 games, with 17 wins, seven draws and eight defeats each, both teams are on 58 points. Even in terms of goals scored, VfB and the Werkself are level on 66. The Black and Reds have conceded just three fewer goals (43) than their rivals (46), which is why they sit one place behind fourth-placed Leverkusen. This Saturday, 9 May (kick-off: 15.30 CEST), the two teams go head to head at the MHP Arena in Stuttgart. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Bayer 04 are introducing changes to the ticket price structure for the 2026/27 season. In addition to adjusting the ticket prices, the ticket categories will also be reorganised. All season ticket holders have already been informed of the changes by e-mail. The most important information at a glance.
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Ibrahim Maza joined Bayer 04 from Hertha Berlin in the summer of 2025. The youngster from Berlin developed into a difference-maker in his first season with the Werkself. Find out what makes the highly talented player tick in this very personal interview. Among other things, Maza talks about his Algerian-Vietnamese-German home, the role of his family and the importance of Islam for him both in his private life and in football...
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