After yesterday's return of Julian Brandt, Kai Havertz and Jonathan Tah increased the training group to twelve, head coach Heiko Herrlich welcomed back Issac Kiese Thelin and Jakub Bednarczyk on Wednesday afternoon. The other international players Charles Aránguiz, Lukas Hradecky, Aleksandar Dragovic, Tin Jedvaj and Paulinho are expected back tomorrow. And the skipper Lars Bender is also due to return to full training after training on his own in the last open session of the week as he had done in the days before. "We hope he can help us on Saturday. But we'll have to see how he gets on in training," said Heiko Herrlich. The same could apply to Charles Aránguiz who did play for 45 minutes with Chile on Tuesday. The Bayer 04 head coach is hoping the 29-year-old will be option for the trip to Munich.
Lukas Hradecky has also gained match practice over the past week. After the 28-year-old keeper missed most of the pre-season and the start of the league campaign due to an operation on his jaw in July, he played two full games for Finland on Saturday and Tuesday – and he was unbeatable. Goalkeeping coach David Thiel, who watched Lukas at the games, confirmed the recent positive impressions. There is little standing in the way of a Werkself debut for the new signing on Saturday as Herrlich revealed after the Wednesday training session.
Ahead of the game against FC Bayern, the 46-year-old coach has organised four training sessions for Thursday and Friday – all are to be held behind closed doors.
Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04 Women's 0-2 loss at 1. FC Nürnberg on Matchday 8 of the 2026/27 Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga.
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After nine points from their first three away matches of the 2026/27 season, the Bayer 04 Women suffered their first away defeat on Sunday afternoon. The 2-0 defeat away to FC Nürnberg, who were winless before today, represented a setback for coach Roberto Pätzold’s team in the race for the top spots in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga. Fany Pronietz scored both goals (62’, 85’) for the home side.
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The Werkself still have a score to settle with TSG Hoffenheim: Bayer 04 lost both matches against the Kraichgau side last term – after the Black and Reds had won all the previous five encounters. Leverkusen are currently on a roll and looking to kick off a new winning streak against TSG in Sinsheim on Sunday 25 October (kick-off: 15:30 CET), and Patrik Schick is keen to continue his current run of form. However, it will not be easy, as coach Christian Ilzer’s team have also gained confidence recently. Today’s matchday news.
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A look at the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga table ahead of the Werkself's clash at 1. FC Nürnberg leaves little discussion: Bayer 04 Women go into Sunday's meeting at the Max-Morlock-Stadion (16:00 CEST) as clear favourites. Coach Roberto Pätzold explains what's needed for the fourth-placed team against the second-from-bottom in order to make it four wins from four away matches this season.
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Following the start of construction on the Talent House in mid-August, an important staffing decision has been made: Michelle Böhmke will join the project team on 1 January 2027 and take over as director when the centre opens, which is planned for summer 2027. The 36-year-old former SGS Essen player previously worked, amongst other roles, as educational director and academy school head at Hertha Berlin.
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