Opposition is provided by two top South American clubs in Estudiantes de La Plata from Argentina and Club Atlético Mineiró from Brazil.
Bayer 04 enjoyed perfect conditions in Orlando in 2015 and 2016 and the Werkself will again be based at the Hotel Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. At the start of this year the Werkself played Santa Fe (Colombia) and SC Internacional (Brazil). A 1-0 win against Santa Fe was followed in the second match by a 3-3 draw with SC Internacional.
Werkself striker Chicharito, who was followed by several hundred fans at the training camp, scored two goals in the tournament and was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the 2016 Florida Cup.
In addition to Bayer 04, Estudiantes de La Plata and Clube Atlético Mineiró, the third tournament in 2017 also involves VFL Wolfsburg, FC Corinthians, Flamengo (both from Brazil), Barcelona SC (Ecuador) plus the Tampa Bay Rowdies from the American Major League Soccer.
The first opponent for the Werkself next year will be Estudiantes de La Plata on eight January at 14.00 (local time) at the A1 Lang Stadium in Tampa. In 2009 the club won the Copa Libertadores de América, the most important club competition in South America, and they currently lead the Primera Divisíon in Argentina ahead of Boca Juniors.
Clube Atlético Mineiró are the second opponents for Bayer 04 on 11 January at 19.00 (local time) in Orlando at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Stadium. In 2013 Atletico Mineiró won the Copa Libertadores, in 2014 club lifted the Recopa Sudamericana and went on to win the domestic cup competition in Brazil. This season the team is currently fourth in the Brazilian top-flight. One of the stars of the team is the former Brazil international and Real Madrid striker Robinho.
Bayer 04 Women have their second straight home game as they close out Matchday 5 in the Google Pixel Bundesliga against Carl Zeiss Jena on Monday. Kick-off at the Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion is at 6pm CEST, with head coach Roberto Pätzold expecting a defensive-minded opponent while his team look to continue their good form.
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Bayer 04 host Bundesliga newcomers at the BayArena for Matchday 6 on Saturday (kick-off: 3.30pm CEST) in a game where the club will mark its 120th anniversary with a special-edition kit. Speaking at his press conference ahead of the game, Xabi Alonso talked about how his team will approach the fixture with the right mentality and required respect for the opposition.
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The German double winners’ special-edition jersey to mark the club’s 120th anniversary is reminiscent of the first kit worn by players back in the 1907/08 season. The jersey, which the Werkself will wear for the Bundesliga home game against Holstein Kiel on Saturday, 5 October and which has been met with enthusiasm by the players, has numerous special features relating to the club's history, including an NFC chip that leads to exclusive content when scanned with a smartphone.
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Bundesliga debutants Holstein Kiel come to the BayArena on Saturday, 5 October (kick-off: 3.30pm CEST) looking to improve on their defensive record up against the Werkself after a tough start to the season. No team has conceded more goals so far than the promoted side. Learn more about our next opponents here…
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