Just a few hours after the Werkself friendly against Deportivo Toluca (0-1), Julian Baumgartlinger, Lennart Grill and Co. are already back on their feet. Part of the Bayer 04 tour group has registered for a hot-air balloon flight over the pyramids of Teotihuacán.
Having arrived at the destination, there was first a short coffee break while the hot-air balloons were prepared – two of them allocated to the visitors from Leverkusen in Black and Red.
At seven in the morning on the dot, the first group including sporting director Simon Rolfes and honorary captain Stefan Kießling gathered around the balloon and watched the final preparations before climbing into the basket.
For Rolfes it was his second flight in a hot-air balloon. The 40-year-old just before ascending into the air: “I did it back home in Münsterland when I was 13 or 14 years old. Of course, the pyramids here are completely different. I’m really looking forward to it!”
Once up in the air there was no end to the amazement for the travellers: The so-called pyramids of the sun, which the hot-air balloon was flying over, are the third biggest in the world with a diameter of 225 x 225 metres and a height of 63 metres; the neighbouring pyramids of the moon are the fourth biggest. They are sited in the centre of the ruined Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacán, some 45 kilometres north-east of Mexico City.
In between the many photos and videos taken, Rolfes and Kießling discovered one of the local football pitches below them - a new perspective for the former long-serving Bundesliga players from a height of 300 metres.
To the amazement of everybody, the Bayer 04 balloon finally descended to a field surrounded by cactuses exactly next to a trailer – and they were brought back on it to base and then to the team bus. A successful hot-air balloon trip in the air and on the ground.
Kicking off the new season with a fresh look: Bayer 04, in collaboration with sportswear manufacturer New Balance, has unveiled the official kit for Leverkusen’s e-Sports players for the coming season. The jersey is now available from the Bayer 04 online shop and the Fanwelt.
Show more
Paulo Sergio and Bayer 04 have enjoyed close ties since the Werkself training camp in his native Brazil last summer. The club legend is in charge of the Bayer 04 Soccer Academy, which opened in the summer of 2025, and he has also been at this year’s training camp in the Weimarer Land. As well as interacting with the many fans who travelled to the camp, the 1994 World Cup winner used the time to plan the next steps for the Academy together with club officials. In an interview with bayer04.de, Sergio spoke about the project’s future development, the upcoming visit by young Academy players to Leverkusen, and plans for the coming months in Germany and Brazil.
Show more
A round-up of the Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land, all in one place: in our daily blog you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day five (Thursday 6 August) is as follows: The squad have the final open session of the training camp in the morning. After lunch, there will be a team event.
Show more
A round-up of the Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land, all in one place: in our daily blog you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day four (Wednesday 5 August) is all about training. The day begins with a gruelling open training session – new signing Miguel Gutiérrez also takes part. A second session follows in the afternoon, this time behind closed doors.
Show more
At the training camp in the Weimarer Land region, Bayer 04 head coach Carles Martínez and his long-standing assistant Pol García talk about their first few weeks with the Werkself, their expectations of their own work, the coaching staff and the squad, as well as the style of football they want the team to play. They emphasise the importance of a winning mentality within the team, comment on cultural and personal differences in the world of football, and outline their goals for the coming season...
Show more
