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.
A thrilling final but with no reward: the Bayer 04 U19s lost 5-4 to 1. FC Köln in the final for the German championship. Sergi Runge's side went into a commanding lead through goals by Artem Stepanov and Jeremiah Mensah, but the visitors battled back and turned it into a 4-2 lead before half-time. Leverkusen then showed their own comeback qualities in the second period, with Francis Onyeka and Kerim Alajbegovic restoring partiy, but Luis Stapelmann snatched the winner for Köln late on.
Show moreThey had their hands full in the VAR centre in Cologne: eight goals were scored at the MEWA Arena on Saturday afternoon, but only four of them were allowed in the end as the Werkself and 1. FSV Mainz 05 closed the season with a 2-2 draw. It means Bayer 04 end the 2024/25 campaign as runners-up with 69 points, representing the fourth-best season in the club's history. What's more, the Werkself are now unbeaten away from home in two whole Bundesliga seasons, with their last away defeat coming exactly two years ago on Matchday 34 of the 2022/23 season at VfL Bochum. The Black-and-Reds can continue the record run next season - albeit without Alonso and Tah. Read what else the eventful final game for the head coach and the defensive leader had to offer in the Werkself Review.
Show moreWerkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 2-2 draw at Mainz 05 on the 34th matchday of the Bundesliga 2024/25...
Show moreBayer 04’s final game of the 2024/25 Bundesliga season saw VAR drama and produced a new record for away results with a 2-2 draw in Mainz. The hosts had several goals ruled out before Paul Nebel put them ahead. Patrik Schick’s brace then turned things around in the second half before Jonathan Burkardt’s penalty levelled the game again. It means Leverkusen have now gone 34 away games without defeat in the Bundesliga, which no team has ever done before.
Show moreThe Werkself bring down the curtain on their 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign with a game away at Mainz on Saturday (kick-off: 3.30pm CEST). Here’s all you need to know ahead of the Matchday 34 meeting at the MEWA Arena.
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