
Hi Mitch, how are the holidays going?
I spent a few days in Barcelona and in Turkey with my girlfriend and my little daughter. I was really able to relax and switch off. We've just been to Berlin to visit a couple of friends – I lived there for three years and my girlfriend's a Berliner.
Let's move on to the U21 European Championships. You headed Germany to victory two years ago. Can you remember your headed goal?
Of course, I don't often score in my head! (He laughs) It was just before half-time and I was actually a long way away from the near post when Jerry (Jeremy Toljan, ed.) crossed. I ran to the byline but the ball landed right on my head. And from there it was like in slow motion looping into the far corner. It felt like a perfect header, a brilliant feeling. I'll probably never manage that again.
You managed to hold onto the 1-0 half-time lead right to the end of the second half…
Spain were the favourites and we knew we had to produce our best performance of the whole tournament. We were well-organised at the back from the start, began well, didn't give the Spaniards any space and we created chances up front. It was a really great team performance. And we deserved to win in the end.
What does this title mean to you?
A lot. If not for anything else, due to the fact that we achieved success as a team which perhaps wasn't expected. Rather like what we achieved with the Werkself in the second half of the season. We all exceeded ourselves at the Euros. It was very special for me to score the winner in the final I was very emotional. One or two tears flowed. (He laughs).
How do you rate the tournament?
It's always fun to compare yourself with the best. Even if the U21 European Championships can't be compared to finals for the senior squad, it is still a tournament played at a top international level. A lot of players who take part have already played in the Champions League or in the Europa League. All our games two years ago were difficult. It didn't matter who we were playing: We had to push ourselves to the limit. And there's also quite a lot of attention from the media for the U21 European Championships.
Will you be watching a couple of the Euro games on TV?
I'll definitely watch if I've got time. Of course, I always try to watch the Germany games with Mo (Mahmoud Dahoud, ed.), Nadiem (Nadiem Amiri,ed.), Levin (Levin Öztunali, ed.) and Waldi (Waldemar Anton, ed) in the side, a couple of lads and good mates with me two years ago. I wish them every success. That obviously goes for Jona too (Jonathan Tah, ed.)…
Jona missed out two years ago because of a thigh injury and this time he's been named captain by the national coach Stefan Kuntz. Have you had contact with him in the past few days and wished him well?
No, but I'll write to him and perhaps give him a call. But regardless of that, I know Jona's completely fired up for this tournament. He'll lead the lads well with his approach – on and off the pitch. Of course, I've got my fingers crossed for him.


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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