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.
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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