The five returned to the BayArena on Sunday morning to complete the performance tests in the Werkstatt that the rest of the squad put behind them on Thursday. "It was good! Everything went perfectly for me," said Kai Havertz. "You keep fit on holiday to make sure you pass the tests." But in the first two weeks after the international fixtures it was a question of putting his feet up – "switching off and doing nothing is also important. But then I started my individual training programme that they gave us to use at home," explained the 20-year-old.
The returnees first completed an individual warm-up routine in the training session before moving on to passing and shooting drills and finally joining the rest of the squad for a practice match. Havertz had a positive impression of the three new signings Kerem Demirbay, Moussa Diaby and Daley Sinkgraven: "We've done very well strengthening the squad and we'll definitely have fun with these players."
At the start of the week, Peter Bosz had 20 pros plus the two U19 players Adrian Stanilewicz and Marcel Lotka at his disposal. Jonathan Tah, Charles Aránguiz and Leon Bailey will join the rest of the squad at the training camp in Zell am See-Kaprun (15 to 21 July). Julian Baumgartlinger is still sidelined. The Austrian injured an ankle in the international break and is currently working on a one-to-one basis in rehab with a physiotherapist in Munich. Baumgartlinger is expected to return to Leverkusen on Wednesday.
The Germany U19 team were beaten 2-0 by record champions Spain in the final of the U19 European Championship in Wales. Bayer 04 players Montrell Culbreath and Francis Onyeka (on loan at SV 07 Elversberg) were in the starting line-up and played the full 90 minutes.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed France U17 international Kenan Doganay. The 1.90-metre-tall defensive midfielder, who has Turkish roots, joins Leverkusen from the U19s at French top-flight club Olympique Lyon. He will initially train with and play for the U19 team.
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The Sports Tribunal of the German Football Association (DFB) has fined Bayer 04 Leverkusen €185,000 for spectators setting off pyrotechnic devices during a total of five competitive matches. This relates to four Bundesliga matches and the DFB Pokal semi-final against Bayern Munich. The highest individual fine relates to the away match at FC Köln at the end of April.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with U19 goalkeeper Simeon Rapsch. The Germany youth international goalkeeper has signed a long-term contract with the Werkself running to 30 June 2029. The 18-year-old joined Leverkusen from FC Viktoria Köln in the summer of 2024.
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