While the Bayer 04 players who appeared at the Benteler Arena were gradually able to dedicate themselves to getting a well-deserved night’s sleep, Paulinho was just getting going. In the early hours of Monday, the Leverkusen player was on the pitch with his Brazil U23 team-mates at 02.30 CET. In the Colombian city of Quindío, the Selecao youngsters played the Peru U23s in the South American qualifying tournament for the 2020 Olympics (from 24 July in Tokyo, Japan).
The 19-year-old Werkself player produced an impressive display – and he scored the only goal of the game to secure victory in the opening match. After 43 minutes, the midfielder netted the winner from a tight angle. In contrast, RB Leipzig’s Matheus Cunha missed out. The top scorer in the current Olympic squad with nine goals in eleven games complained of feeling unwell in the night before the game. Augsburg’s Iago did not feature either.
The ten South American U23 teams are split up into two groups. After the group stage, the two best teams play each other up to 9 February for two places at the Tokyo games. Brazil’s next group opponents on Thursday 23 January (kick-off: 2.30 CET) are Uruguay who also won 1-0 in their opening game against Paraguay.
Kevin Volland scored one more than Paulinho in the game against SC Paderborn. With the fastest double of his career (11 & 14 minutes) the Bayer 04 striker set up the first win in 2020. The BILD Zeitung named the 27-year-old in their team of the week for his impressive performance against the team from East Westphalia. No other Werkself players were included in the top eleven.
Thanks to the win at Paderborn, the Peter Bosz team are back in sixth place in the table. A look at the away form table is even better from a Werkself perspective: Bayer 04 are second with 18 points after nine games on the road. Only league leaders RB Leipzig are better off with an additional two points. The Werkself have the chance to work on their home form next Sunday(26 January). Fortuna Düsseldorf are the visitors with the game kicking off at 18.00 CET.
‘Calli’ on the mike! The longstanding football official, general manager and CEO of Bayer 04, Reiner Calmund is the guest tonight on the ‘Kicker meets DAZN’ podcast. The Bundesliga stalwart will be talking with the presenters Benni Zander and Alex Schlüter about the winter transfer window. The interview will be available at kicker.de and on all the usual platforms.
In addition: Any fans of podcasts might well enjoy the Werkself podcast. Former Bayer 04 players like Falko Götz and Ulf Kirsten plus current players like Sven Bender and Jonathan Tah discuss a range of issues relating to the club under the Bayer Cross.
The Norway U23 international Julie Jorde has completed the move from Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Brøndby IF. The twelve-time champions of Denmark have signed the midfielder on permanent terms after her loan move from the Bundesliga to Denmark in the winter.
Show moreBayer 04 Leverkusen have signed the Senegalese central defender Abdoulaye Faye. The 20-year-old joins the Bundesliga side from Swedish top-flight club BK Häcken. Faye has penned a contract at Leverkusen to 30 June 2030.
Show moreThe German Football League (DFL) has published the fixture list for the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign. Bayer 04 start the new season with a home game against TSG Hoffenheim. The first away game for the Werkself is at Werder Bremen. The final Bundesliga fixture is on 16 May 2026 against newly promoted Hamburg SV with a 15:30 CEST kick-off at the BayArena.
Show moreBayer 04 Leverkusen have given offensive player Paulina Bartz a long-term contract. The 20-year-old has penned a new deal to 30 June 2027.
Show moreGermany international Florian Wirtz has been voted Bayer 04 ‘Player of the Season’ for the second time in a row. The 21-year-old, who will play for Premier League champions Liverpool next season, received more than half of all votes cast in the annual poll organised by Bayer 04.
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