
With the Werkself being the clear favourites, Kevin Volland sounded a warning against underestimating the opposition: “We made it difficult for ourselves last season at Karlsruher SC. And the year before against Lotte, we saw what can happen if you’re not 100 per cent up for it. So we know exactly what to expect.”
At least there was some good news on the personnel front on Thursday: In the morning session, both Lars and Sven Bender plus Lucas Alario and Paulinho were on the training ground again after spending yesterday working in the facilities at the BayArena due to slight knocks or regulating their workload. And Lukas Hradecky also joined his team-mates on the way from the dressing room to the training ground for the first time since the operation on his jaw. After a warm-up session together, the Finn first took the role as a spectator before completing an individual session wearing a protective mask. “It will take some time before I’m fully back up to speed and after the examinations in the week we’ll see if we can up the work rate,” said Hradecky after the final open training session the week, which saw Heiko Herrlich once again focus on practising moves and finishing. The boss is still without the services of Joel Pohjanpalo (ankle), Panos Retsos (thigh), Leon Bailey (cold) and Charles Aránguiz (knee), who is now working with fitness coach Daniel Jouvin on the training ground.
It is clear Hradecky is at home in the Cup as he demonstrated this year with his former club Eintracht Frankfurt. The Cup winner had some advice for his new team-mates: “I told them you can’t afford to underestimate any team. Pforzheim will do all they can to beat us. But the lads are well aware of the task and I’m sure will go through to the second round.” That is also Volland’s target. “We’re really looking forward to the game – also because we’re finally getting going again after a hard pre-season. We are all very focused after the Valencia game and we know what’s coming – Pforzheim won’t make it easy for us. But if we do our homework on the pitch then we’ll win the game,” said the 26-year-old.
The Werkself will train behind closed doors tomorrow before the Bayer 04 squad heads south in the early afternoon.



Bayer 04 Leverkusen have agreed Kerim Alajbegovic’s transfer to Italian record champions Juventus. The club brought the 18-year-old attacking player back to Leverkusen this summer via a buy-back option, following a season at Red Bull Salzburg. Until his move to Austria, the Bosnia international had been playing for Bayer 04’s Under-19s.
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With 22 days to go until the start of the Bundesliga campaign, the Bayer 04 Women’s team have gained a fresh boost of confidence. In a friendly against Belgian top-flight side KRC Genk on Saturday afternoon, coach Roberto Pätzold’s team secured a 1–0 win. Lobke Loonen (20’) scored the winner for the Black and Reds at the Kurtekotten training centre.
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Werkself TV shows the highlights of the 3-0 victory in the friendly match against Rot-Weiss Essen...
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without Kennet Eichhorn for the time being. Following specialist medical examinations, the new signing from Berlin has been diagnosed with a metabolic disorder requiring treatment. This was preceded by excessive physical strain and weight loss, partly as a result of a gastrointestinal condition.
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A successful fourth preseason friendly ahead of the start of the training camp: The Werkself secured a 3-0 victory over Rot-Weiss Essen at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The goals in what was a commanding and dominant performance by Leverkusen from the outset were scored by Ibrahim Maza (8'), Patrik Schick from the penalty spot (23’) and, in the second half, Montrell Culbreath with a header (79’). The team set off for their training camp in Blankenhain in the Weimarer Land region after the game.
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