When he was a teenager in his home town of Moscow, Andrey Lunev developed first thoughts of a really big move. "It was always my dream to play in one of the best leagues in Europe," explained the 1.93 metre tall shot-stopper in his first media interview as a Bayer 04 player. "That definitely includes the Bundesliga."
The keeper took his first steps in professional football at Torpedo Moscow when he made three appearances for the capital club in 2012/13. That was followed by loans to the Russian third division as well as a moderately successful six months at third division Saturn Ramenskoe. The now 29-year-old finally moved up to the top-flight in 2015; FK Ufa signed Lunev. He had to accept the role of number two keeper for one season. Then everything happened in a flash.
In his second season in the city of a million inhabitants, he played in nine out of eleven games from matchday 6 to the winter transfer window. He signed for the top Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg at the turn of the year. Lunev became the first choice between the sticks in his third month on the Baltic. He remained the unchallenged number one in the following years with the occasional slight injury enforcing short breaks.
Lunev won the first championship in four years with Zenit in 2019. Under coach Sergey Semak the team from the port city became the first Russian club since 2001 (Spartak Moscow) to win the Premier Liga three times in succession. And they also won the cup in 2019/20.
At Euro 2020, Lunev was in the extended squad for a big tournament for the second time after the 2018 World Cup and seven appearances for Russia. He was also in goal for the Russian serial champions from St Petersburg. As his contract at Zenit ran out in the summer, Bayer 04 snapped up the services of the "experienced keeper" (sporting director Simon Rolfes). The Russian came to Leverkusen on the back of 100 top-flight appearances and 19 games in the final rounds of the Champions League and Europa League.
Lunev was already aware of his new employers before signing. "Bayer 04 are well known in Russia with an excellent reputation through constant presence in European competitions," said the 29-year-old and further explains the background to his new start at Leverkusen: "I wanted to move to a new country, play a new league. I'll do all I can to play regularly."
There is no lack of self-confidence in the new Werkself signing. And yet he knows what awaits him. Lunev: "Lukas (Hradecky, ed.) had a good season and a good Euros. He's a good keeper – just like me."
In any case, the new member of the Black and Red goalkeeping quartet is full of praise for his colleagues Hradecky, Lennart Grill and Niklas Lomb: "They all have very high quality. Everybody gives their all in training and behaves very professionally without forgetting being together. The atmosphere is great and I also really like it with our goalkeeping coach David Thiel. We are fully focused on our work. If we have a break then we never stop having fun."
The first Russian to play for the Werkself since striker Dmitri Bulykin in 2007/08 appears to have landed on his feet at his new club.
The Golden Boy Top 100 traditionally lists Europe’s most promising young players. In the latest update, published to mark the start of the new season, four current Werkself players – alongside loanee Francis Onyeka – feature on the list. This means Bayer 04 have the most players in contention of any Bundesliga club.
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Goalkeeper Rafaela Borggräfe will continue to play for Bayer 04 Leverkusen next season. The loan of the Germany U23 international, who joined from Liverpool in the winter, has been extended by a further year.
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The Bayer 04 delegation, led by Fernando Carro, CEO, concluded their multi-day trip to Brazil with a visit to the community-based organisation Bola Pra Frente in Rio de Janeiro – founded by former Werkself player Jorginho. During the visit, Bayer 04 committed to extending support for the Bola Pra Frente project for a further five years. In addition, Jorginho, a member of the Brazil 1994 World Cup-winning squad, was named Bayer 04’s second official club legend. With the visit to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the club has strengthened the relationships built up over the years in one of Bayer 04’s most important international markets.
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Ten years after retiring as a player, Kristina Sundov is returning to the Bayer 04 Women’s team as assistant coach. The 39-year-old former Croatia international takes over from Remzi Kahraman, who has taken up a new challenge abroad. She has been given a contract to 30 June 2028.
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The training pitches at the BayArena are already buzzing with activity again, even before training officially begins next week. On Monday morning, a small group from the Werkself first-team squad completed a session lasting around an hour. Both new and familiar faces were present.
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