
… his current daily training routine: I don't see a problem with the training sessions changed by hygiene measures. For us, it's primarily and, above all, for the outfield players about keeping fit and staying on top of your form. You can practice shooting in small groups as well. Work on tactics is mainly missing but I get on with the players in front of me so well that everybody will soon get back into the swing of things.
… goalkeeper Lennart Grill signed from FC Kaiserslautern: I'm looking forward to working with him. I've already seen quite a lot of him and he's a talented keeper. Of course, young and new players always want to be on the pitch. But it's exactly the same with me although I'm a bit older. At the end of the day, new competition always gives me an additional boost. And we goalkeepers work together in training as a group – so everybody benefits from it.
… the suspension of play due to the coronavirus pandemic: If I put the summer breaks to one side, then I've never had such a long time without playing. The whole thing is new to me and to us all. I'll be interested to see how the teams are after this time and I hope that we can get quickly back to the good form we had before the break.
…the postponement of his first European Championship with Finland by one year to 2021: I hope I can stay free of injury until then. Otherwise, I am relaxed about it. And, above all, I'd be happy to see spectators back in the grounds.

Issa Traoré is moving from Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Slovakian top-flight side AS Trencin. The club has loaned the centre-back out for one year to this year’s ninth-placed team in the Slovakian league.
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Assistant coach Remzi Kahraman is leaving the Bayer 04 Women’s team with immediate effect to take up a new challenge abroad. The club has agreed to the 31-year-old’s request to leave, although his contract was originally due to run until 2027. A decision on his successor will be announced shortly.
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At the U19 European Championship in Wales, the Germany U19 national team lost their third and final group match 4-0 to Spain. Several regulars, including Bayer 04 players Montrell Culbreath and Francis Onyeka (on loan to SV Elversberg), who had combined for four goals and assists in the two previous victories, did not feature,. Germany had already secured their place in the semi-finals with a game to spare.
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Two weeks into the preseason, the Bayer 04 Women have secured their first victory. Coach Roberto Pätzold’s team won their first friendly 2–0 against Bundesliga newcomers Mainz 05. In front of 160 spectators at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre, the two summer signings, Maja Sternad (80’) and Justine Brandau (90’), scored for the Black and Reds.
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