DFL: Quarantined training camps from 12 May

The team led by Hannes Wolf have 04 fixtures left this season. Four games to qualify for Europe. The starter is the home match against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, 24 April (kick-off: 18.30 CET). In the week after #B04SGE, the Werkself do not have a game as the DFB Cup semi-finals are being played on 30 April and 1 May.

From the start of May: Ten-day "quasi-quarantine"

The final three Bundesliga matches for the Black and Reds will all be played on Saturday afternoons at 15.30 CEST – under the strictest quarantine regulations, as the German Football League (DFL) announced on Thursday. As expected, the league association has decided on so-called quarantined training camps for the teams in the top two divisions.

That means all 36 professional clubs have to be in self-isolation for the last two matchdays from 12 May. For the Werkself, this measure affects the home game against Union Berlin (15 May) plus the final crunch encounter in Dortmund (22 May).

Before moving into the training camps, all players, coaches and staff must go into "quasi-quarantine" from 3 May. The persons affected will "only be able to be at home or on the training ground or at the stadium," according to the DFL. Further information on the quarantine measures of the league association is available HERE.

Win Tah's derby shirt

A special memory of the 3-0 derby win at the weekend could soon be hanging up in your home. In April you can make a donation to the Wildpark Reuschenberg under the motto #GemeinsamfürLEV (Together for LEVERKUSEN). As a thank-you to everyone supporting the cause, Bayer 04 are raffling the shirt worn by Jonathan Tah in the home game against FC Köln. HERE is the link to the donation site.

Youth and reserve team seasons cancelled

As expected, the state football associations in western Germany have cancelled the 2020/21 season with immediate effect due to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, it was decided not to make any awards this season. That means no champions and no teams promoted or relegated.

The decisions of the Middle Rhine Football Association (FVM) and the Western German Football Association (WDFV) affect all Bayer 04 youth teams from the U15s upwards. The Werkself U15s 'end' their season in third place with 13 points from six games. The U13 and U12 teams are unbeaten and top of their respective youth cup competitions.

The German Football Association (DFB) have yet to make an announcement about the U19 and U17 leagues.

U19: Performance diagnostics at the Werkstatt

Following the narrow 3-2 defeat for the U19s in the friendly against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday, part of the oldest youth team will go through stamina performance diagnostics in the middle of the week. These will be held in the Werkstatt and effects players born in 2003 and 2004. U19 head coach Sven Hübscher is hoping this measure will provide a more detailed insight into the current fitness levels of the younger U19 players.

Dutt takes over at Wolfsberger AC

Robin Dutt is back in the coaching game. The 56-year-old, head coach at the Werkself from July 2011 to April 2012, will take over at Wolfsberger AC next season. The job at the Austrian top-flight club is his first abroad. Dutt is the successor to Ferdinand Feldhofer. The Cologne-born coach was in the Bayer 04 dugout for 37 games in 2011/12.

Olympics: Germany play Brazil

The group stages for the football tournament in the Summer Olympics have been confirmed. Germany are in Group D with Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire and Saudi Arabia. The venue is Yokohama. The start for the team under coach Stefan Kuntz is the big match against Brazil on 22 July. The final will be played in Tokyo on 7 August. Kuntz has to register his squad by 30 June.

Two Werkself players, Lars Bender and Julian Brandt, were at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. Sven Bender was also there but he played for Borussia Dortmund at the time. Germany reached the final five years ago but lost out to the hosts 5-4 on penalties – and now there is the chance to take revenge for the defeat in the final.