At the morning session on Tuesday, Kai Havertz, Julian Brandt and Co. we're back on the training ground. Karim Bellarabi and Sven Bender, who went off injured on Saturday, were missing. The pair will be rested for the forthcoming Europa League home game against FC Zürich on Thursday (21.00 CET) as Heiko Herrlich revealed after the training session: "It makes no sense taking a risk with Karim and Sven. I believe there's a good chance both will be fit for Sunday (League game at Leipzig - ed.), but we not going to commit hara-kiri," said the Werkself head coach. in any case, he announced his desire to rotate against the Swiss Cup winners. There is a final pre-match training session at the BayArena tomorrow night ahead of the game against Zürich. The next open session is planned for Friday at midday (subject to change).
Kai Havertz is indisputably one of the most promising talents in German football. At the age of 19, the Werkself number 29 already has made over 50 Bundesliga appearances (64 games, 10 goals and 17 assists) – more than anybody else at that age. His performances have been recognised with the award of the Fritz Walter Medal in gold for this year's best German youth player. Now he has the chance of a second big award this year: Since Monday, Havertz is in the running for sports personality of the year in North Rhine Westphalia (football category). Up to 3 December, it is possible to vote for the 19-year-old, who made his debut for the Germany U19 team at the start of September, at www.nrw-sportlerdesjahres.de. Moreover: There are six athletes from TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the running for the FELIX Award in Gina Lückenkemper (female athlete category and team category), Konstanze Klosterhalfen (female athlete category), Mateusz Przybylko (male athlete category), Markus Rehm, Felix Streng und Johannes Floors (all in disabled sport category). Good luck to everybody!
Ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga game against 1899 Hoffenheim, the Bayer 04 referee section collected over 50 referee shirts, shorts and socks plus other equipment for a good cause: The DFB referee Naemi Breier has voluntarily been collecting money and donations for various projects for world hunger relief to support activities in Africa in particular. Most recently it was in Rwanda where she supported the construction and modernisation of a primary school. Bayer 04 Bundesliga referee Laura Duske and Rahel Glombek, head of the referee section at the Werkself, became aware of this unique project and set about organising support. The great donation was handed over during half-time at the Bundesliga game by Jörg Kappenhagen (head of fans, memberships and community affairs).
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career working as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personal Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
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Bayer 04 host top French club Marseille at the BayArena on matchday four in the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League group stage. The match kicks off on Thursday 5 November at 21:00 CET. The latest information on ticket sales.
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The BAYER 04 HILFT Day is celebrating an anniversary: for the tenth year running, a large number of employees of the Bundesliga club have been getting involved in a community project in Leverkusen and the surrounding area. Following the refurbishment of the city library last year, this time around some 70 staff members rolled up their sleeves to help out at the Bunker Youth Centre in Leverkusen-Wiesdorf. With the support of the Lebenshilfe workshops in Leverkusen and partner Coca-Cola, a rubber football pitch was laid, a Bayer 04-style lounge was created and other projects were carried out. Werkself players and coaching staff also gave their all.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen and sponsors club partner NRG24 are continuing their partnership, which has been in place since the summer of 2023. The Bundesliga football club and the energy consultancy firm have extended their successful partnership until 30 June 2027.
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