
On Tuesday afternoon, a group of 20 children, including Bayer 04 mascot Brian the Lion, made their way to the press conference room at the BayArena. They were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the two Germany internationals Robert Andrich and Jonas Hofmann. Then the door opened and the Bayer 04 players were greeted with loud applause.
A barrage of questions followed introductions. There was a big surprise at the beginning with the question on Hoffmann's passion of building Lego. The cheerful offensive player responded: "My favourite range is Star Wars, yesterday I finished building the Imperial Star Destroyer."
Andrich explained his hidden talents: "I like to sing and dance." The 29-year-old let the children know he most likes spending his free time with his family and that he takes his child to nursery before training. Andrich also revealed with a smile what he was thinking when he made his assist for the opening goal against Bayern Munich: "I just crossed it without looking."







In addition, the children wanted to know which teammates the two of them got on best with. Andrich: "We all get on really well in the team. Of course, it’s easier for us to get on with the ones who speak the same language. It's usually like that."
Hofmann revealed his first Bundesliga goal is his favourite and he rates teammate Andrich's "sometimes mad clothes and hair." Hofmann added with a wink, "Rob is sometimes really funny." In response to the question whether both players have a nutritionist, the 31-year-old Hofmann replied: "A healthy diet is very important as an athlete and we have a nutritionist here at the club. When you win a game you sometimes obviously drink and eat something that's perhaps a little less healthy." (laughs)






After the questions, the two players took time out for a group photograph and numerous requests for autographs. Then it was down to football with some of the children showing Andrich and Hoffman tricks, which the duo then copied. The Werkself players left to happy faces all round.

The Werkself have reached at least the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal in each of the last three years. The Black-and-Reds would like to make it to the final four of the competition again this season, but to do that they'll need to overcome 1. FC Nürnberg in round two, who travel to the BayArena with momentum following a successful league campaign so far. However, Bayer have a 100 percent record at home in all competitions this season - and have also won six of their last seven home matches in the Pokal. The Matchday News.
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Back at home in the second round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal, Bayer 04 host FC Nürnberg at the BayArena. The match against the current second-placed side in Bundesliga 2 is on Wednesday 28 October at 20:45 CET. Ahead of the game, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about his anticipation of the clash in front of a home crowd. The Spaniard also commented on a number of personnel matters, including Ibrahim Maza and Montrell Culbreath, plus the visitors’ coach, Miroslav Klose.
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Now in their third season under head coach Miroslav Klose, FC Nürnberg are among the promotion contenders in Bundesliga 2. On Wednesday 28 October (kick-off: 20:45 CET), the team currently second in the table are away to Bayer 04 in the second round of the DFB Pokal. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Werkself player Ibrahim Maza has been named in the top ten in the ‘Men’s Young Talent of the Year’ category for 2026. The 20-year-old was at the London Palladium on Monday evening for the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony. Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO, also attended the ceremony. Lamine Yamal of Barcelona was named the winner in the ‘Men’s Young Talent of the Year’ category.
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Bayer 04 will have to manage without forward Moussa Diaby for their upcoming matches. The 27-year-old Frenchman sustained a thigh injury in the 3-0 defeat against TSG Hoffenheim yesterday afternoon, Sunday 25 October. Diaby is expected to be available again after the international break in November.
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