The Werkself started day two with a session on the St. Louis CITY Soccer Club training ground in bright sunshine under clear blue skies. A jocular warm-up routine was followed by passing and shooting drills for the 17 players on tour under the direction of head coach Xabi Alonso – and in front of club officials of St. Louis CITY SC including German sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel.
While Jonathan Tah and Co. trained on the pitch, the St. Louis CITY SC players were in a neighbouring weights room. The players of the future MLS side had a perfect view of Wednesday's opponents through a large window and some of them then came onto the pitch to take part in a challenge.
Five players from each team took part in a penalty shootout. The following St. Louis players were involved: Josh Dolling from England, the Brazilian Célio Pompeu, Isak Jensen from Denmark, goalkeeper Michael Creek (USA) plus former FC Köln player Tomas Ostrák from Czechia. The Bayer 04 keeprs Andrey Lunev and Niklas Lomb took turns in goal and the other four players involved were Zidan Sertdemir, Adam Hlozek, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Timothy Fosu-Mensah.
Sporting managing director Simon Rolfes fielded questions from American camera crews at the Werkself training session. "We are really excited about Wednesday's match at the new CITYPARK Stadium," declared the 40-year-old. On the collaboration with Bayer AG, who employ over 6,000 people in St. Louis county, and St. Louis CITY SC Rolfes said: "A great affinity has developed that we want to continue to strengthen and extend in the future."
After lunch at the team hotel, the Werkself had the next item on the agenda: a visit to the Bayer AG research centre in Chesterfield some 30 minutes from the team hotel. A guided tour through the facilities and research laboratories was followed by a presentation of the players, the head coach Xabi Alonso and the two managing directors Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes.
Over 1,000 members of staff at the Bayer site in St Louis County welcomed the Bayer 04 player and officials to the stage with loud applause and they were wearing red Bayer 04 shirts. The entertaining event was rounded off with an autograph session plus a chance to take selfies. Further details are HERE.
Five players, the Werkself coaching staff and several staff members went on from the Bayer site to the youth football club Lou Fusz Athletic. Children and teenagers were able to work on their football skills in outstanding conditions in the club's huge indoor training centre.
Most of the 100 girls and boys aged from 8 to 18 pulled on Bayer 04 shirts – and took part in a training session led by professionals. Xabi Alonso's two assistant coaches Sebastian Parrilla and Alberto Encinas coached the youngsters. They were joined by honorary captain Stefan Kießling, goalkeeping coach David Thiel and team liaison manager Hans-Peter Lehnhoff who looked after several small groups in a range of drills. A practice match followed at the end of the session.
The Bayer 04 tour party had an unusual location for their evening meal: the St. Louis zoo. Amongst over 14,000 animals from 500 different species, the visitors from Leverkusen together with selected Bayer employees enjoyed a sociable evening together in the events hall at the zoo.
The third day of the #Bayer04USATour 2022 has several highlights: In the morning there is a training session plus the pre-match press conference with the coaches of the two teams ahead of the game against St. Louis CITY SC. That is followed by an afternoon off with the chance to go sightseeing and the Bayer 04 group will watch a college basketball match in the evening between Saint Louis Billikens and the Memphis Tigers.
Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 2-1 at TSG Hoffenheim on the 3rd matchday of the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga 2026/27.
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Starting with the 2026/27 season, Bayer 04 has created a permanent memorial space at the BayArena. In the upper section of Block A in the southeast corner of the stadium, Werkself fans can honour friends and family members with whom they have shared many special moments connected to Bayer 04. In the coming months, this space will be gradually expanded, in particular with the active support of the fans.
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Bayer 04 has secured a new premium partner in DXC Technology, a leading provider of enterprise technology and innovation. The club has agreed a partnership with DXC running until 30 June 2028. At the heart of the partnership is DXC’s role as an AI integration partner. The company is integrating Bayer 04’s previously separate digital systems into a unified fan journey that begins long before matchday and extends well beyond the stadium visit. As a partner of the women’s team and main sponsor of #B04eSports, DXC will be supporting two promising sections of the club during this period. DXC will also gain significant visibility as the sleeve partner of the women’s team in the DFB Pokal.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have secured a new premium partner in the form of DRIVIO. DRIVIO, already part of the club’s partner portfolio as a reliable car subscription partner for Bayer 04, will continue to support the club in this capacity and, with immediate effect, also join the premium group of companies that cooperate closely with the Werkself. The premium and car subscription partnership between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and DRIVIO will initially run until 30 June 2027.
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“Welcome home” was the message from a visually emotional fan in the direction of Moussa Diaby after Wednesday’s open training session. The French winger had just appeared on the BayArena training ground for the first time in three years following his return to Bayer 04. And before he took time for selfies and autographs, Diaby spoke to the media. Fellow new arrival Guéla Doué was also in action but not with the team for now.
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