The 22-year-old gave his first interview on Bayer 04 TV yesterday and today he was interviewed by journalists after his first training session. "I'm just really happy to finally be at Bayer 04 – here you have everything you want. My aim is to settle in, give my all and quickly integrate with the team," said Amiri. The first training session with his new team-mates gave him the taste for more. "It's a great group here with lots of young and hungry players," said the former Hoffenheim player.
The new Werkself number 11 certainly put in a shift in his first session: Peter Bosz and his fellow coaches once again prepared a high-intensity session – with lots of sprints and finally a competitive training match. "It was really very tough today," declared Amiri. No wonder that most of the Werkself players were laid out on their backs taking a breather after a tough 90-minute work out before the communal finish.
In addition to Amiri, Charles Aránguiz was also back on the training ground after yesterday taking part in full training for the first time following his extended holiday due to his participation in the Copa America. Three players were out injured on Wednesday. Mitchell Weiser, Lars Bender and Joel Pohjanpalo. Julian Baumgartlinger was also missing as he was rested. The Austrian should – after the day off on Thursday – return to training with team on Friday. Moussa Diaby completed a one-to-one session with fitness coach Daniel Jouvain on a neighbouring pitch.
Young Werkself fans could hardly wait for the summer holidays. Once again, the Bayer 04 Soccer School summer camp was open. Hundreds of football crazy youngsters have taken part in the camps this summer where they enjoyed their favourite pastime and learned one or two new tricks. The youngsters spend a week at Bayer 04 and are coached under professional conditions. A highlight of the camp for years: A Werkself pro calls in on the kids. Last week it was the turn of Kerem Demirbay and this Wednesday saw Daley Sinkgraven appear as a guest at the media centre in the BayArena. He received a great and vocal reception from the camp participants. The Werkself new signing took his place on the top table where the Werkself number 22 was peppered with questions from the kids in the style of a real press conference. When all the questions had been answered, it was time for an autograph or a selfie. And it ended with a group photograph being taken as a memento.
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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