
Jeremie, what's your impression of the team at the moment?
Frimpong: Training is good and the team is generally in good shape. We've won the last three games and built up a lot of confidence. That's how we have to, and want to, carry on up to the winter break.
You scored your first Bundesliga goal in the 3-1 win against RB Leipzig.
Frimpong: It was really great and also very important in a game against a very good opponent. But I’m not resting on that moment of success but continuing to work hard on my game. There's a long way to go in this season.

You joined Bayer 04 from Celtic a year ago. What differences have you identified up to now between the Scottish Premiership and the Bundesliga?
Frimpong: It took a while to settle in here but it was a big step forward for me. Every game in the Bundesliga is hard-fought, intensive and tough. You can never take it easy even against the team bottom of the table. There are lots of young, fresh and quick lads here while opponents in Scotland often included several older players.
Your former club from Glasgow was one of the two top teams in Scotland. You often had to go into every game with a very attacking approach as the opponents used to defend deep.
Frimpong: At Celtic we usually always had the ball except for possibly against Rangers, Hibs or Aberdeen. As a defender I was mostly involved up front as well. I have to be everywhere in the Bundesliga now: attacking and defending. But that's great fun and it presents me with new challenges.
This season, you've got the most minutes on the pitch of all outfield players in the Werkself squad. How’s your fitness going into the run-in to the end of the year?
Frimpong: Of course, you do get heavy legs but you mustn't think about it. You have to recover well, sleep a lot and eat well. In addition: I love this game. Being on the pitch in every match is the best thing that can happen to a football player.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
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Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
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Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
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Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
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