Rudi Völler, a Kickers Offenbach player from 1975 to 1980, spoke about the passing of Hermann Nuber: “The biggest club legend of all time at Offenbach has parted from us today. OFC and me too have a lot to thank Hermann Nuber for. Hermann was my U19 coach at Kickers and he played a big part in my career. His worker’s mentality and his incredible determination made him a father figure for the whole club. Here too in Leverkusen we are mourning because of the fan friendship between Bayer 04 and OFC.”
Hermann Nuber, born in Offenbach in 1935, played for OFC in the 1950s and 1960s. ‘Iron Hermann’, Nuber’s nickname, only played for Offenbach as a professional footballer. The former striker was runner-up to Franz Beckenbauer in the 1968 vote for Germany’s Player of the Year. After hanging up his boots Nuber was named an honorary captain at Kickers Offenbach. This summer, OFC renamed the main stand at the ‘am Bieberer Berg stadium’ to the Hermann Nuber Stand’.
Photo: Rudi Völler, Herman Nuber and OFC president Dieter Müller (l. to r..) at the friendly between Kickers Offenbach and Bayer 04 in July 2012.
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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