
"The team have been deeply involved with this catastrophe over the past few days. There have been a lot of discussions here in the training camp in Austria and all of them are affected given the suffering that the floods have brought to so many people," said head coach Gerardo Seoane. "The lads want to play their part in helping out and therefore we have decided together that we will play a benefit match at the earliest opportunity in aid of the victims. Where and when still has to be planned in detail. But we, as Bayer 04 Leverkusen, want to show our solidarity like so many other people."
The Bayer 04 Veterans will also play a benefit match in support of the flood victims. On Tuesday, 27 July (kick-off: 18.00 CEST) the former Werkself players will be in action at Wiedbachtaler Sportfreunden Neitersen. The match will be played in Neitersen at the Auf der Emma sports ground. The Bayer 04 team will include former players Jens Nowotny, Ramazan Özcan and Hanno Balitsch.
In addition to the match against the Sportfreunde, the Veterans will also play in Leichlingen. The sports ground was also damaged by the floods. Further information on the date of the match and the opposition is to follow.

The German Football Association (DFB) has officially recognised Bayer 04 as a centre for the development of female talent for the 2026/27 season. The club was awarded that role on 1 January 2026, and this status has now been renewed.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have sold young defender Andrea Natali to AZ Alkmaar on permanent terms. The 18-year-old Italian was on loan at the Dutch club last season, where he mainly played for the reserve team in the second division.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have loaned new signing Luca Erlein to newly promoted FC Energie Cottbus for the 2026/27 season. This will give him the opportunity to play in Bundesliga 2. The club signed the 19-year-old right-back on a permanent basis last week, on a contract to 30 June 2030.
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Trophies as a youth, appearances in the pro game and his first taste of international competition: new arrival Luca Erlein, who has been signed from TSG Hoffenheim, can already look back on some remarkable achievements and moments in his fledgling career. We take a closer look at the 19-year-old right-back, who can also fill other roles across the defensive line.
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