…the first full training session after the two-week 'summer break': The numbers at training were not that big as, in addition to Kai Havertz, Kevin Volland and Leon Bailey (in quarantine in Jamaica, ed.), the international players were also missing.
…the considerably shortened build-up to the first competitive match in the DFB Cup against Eintracht Norderstedt on 13 September: It's the fourth or fifth build-up in 2020– and that feels strange. You normally have six weeks to prepare for a new season. Now there's another very short build-up but we've already got experienced of that. The advantage is that I'm not a new coach. I've been working here for one and a half years and I know most of the players. I know what I can expect of my team. They haven't lost everything in the two-week break. The basic fitness is there.
…the current position with the squad: Our squad isn't complete yet. For example, I'm not expecting Kevin Volland or Kai Havertz to train with us again. However, it's normal that there are changes during a transfer window. We coaches can deal with that. I've expressed my wishes to the management. We'll have to wait and see what happens.
…the challenge of this year's build-up: It's always great for coaches if the squad is complete at the start of training. But that's almost never the case these days. A lot has been put back due to coronavirus. That makes things complicated. My responsibility as a coach is to deal with it.
…the recent vacancy as the Dutch coach: It's an honour for every Dutchman to be the national coach of his home country. That's the biggest achievement for a coach. But momentum also counts in football. And you aren’t always in control of that. It only makes sense to think about it if you're asked. And that hasn't happened up to now. Also we've only got two weeks before the start of the Bundesliga. I need all my time here for Bayer 04.
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 as he worked 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 personalised 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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Kasper Hjulmand has led the Werkself back to winning ways and is back in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League with Bayer 04 after the 3-0 win against Villarreal on Wednesday evening. In an interview with the Werkself magazine at the BayArena in the team meeting room, directly opposite the dressing room, he provided some special insights for the current issue, which was published in January. A conversation with the 53-year-old coach about values, attitudes and personal experiences as well as interests outside of football.
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The thrilling 3-1 win for Bayer 04 against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Hinrunde is a fond memory for Alejandro Grimaldo, with his brace from free kicks, and coach Kasper Hjulmand, who was in the dugout under the Cross for the first time. Now comes the return fixture in the metropolis on the River Main and after going out of the DFB Pokal and the Champions League, the full focus at Eintracht, currently managed by two interim coaches, is now on the Bundesliga. For their part, the Werkself will do everything in their power to continue the longest winning run against a Bundesliga club. The matchday news.
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Bayer 04 have ended Artem Stepanov’s loan deal at Nürnberg and agreed a new loan to Utrecht in the Netherlands. The Ukrainian striker did not play as much as hoped for at the Bundesliga 2 club and will now continue his development in the Eredivisie for the rest of 2025/26.
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The draw for the knockout play-offs of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League was made on Friday, 30 January and saw Bayer 04 paired with Olympiacos. It’s a reunion with the Greek side following the Werkself’s 2-0 loss in Athens on Matchday 7 of the league phase.
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