June of last year. 10 months, 45 weeks or 317 days ago. Paulinho had just returned to Leverkusen after playing in an Olympic qualifier for the Brazil U23s. He felt he was “in good form” and “really integrated in the team” at that time. He was looking to play as many games as possible for Bayer 04 in 2020/21 and was working hard every day to achieve that target.
However, just before the DFB Cup final against Bayern Munich at the start of July, there was a massive setback in a training session in the shadow of the BayArena: a torn cruciate. A break of unpredictable length, rehab facilities instead of Bundesliga stadiums. Initially a big shock for the agile and technically-gifted football player from South America.
But giving up was not an option for Paulinho. At the Leverkusen ‘Werkstatt’, based in the BayArena, he started his individual programme – and with his comeback on the final matchday at Borussia Dortmund he made a positive finish to a season that will be one to forget for him.
In the thirteen-minute Bayer 04 TV documentary, the 20-year-old talks in detail about his time on the sidelines, the support of his family over those months. The Werkself team doctor Dr. Philipp Ehrenstein also shares his view, Carsten Rademacher (head of rehab therapy) and rehab coach Gregor Stumpf talk about getting the levels right in the sessions.
Exclusive insights into the rehab of our number 7 plus the home life with his Brazilian family in Germany – that and much more can be seen in ‘Never stop fighting’ on YouTube from Friday, 11 June at 16.00 CEST. HERE is the link.
The situation ahead of the showdown is clear - and promising. The Bayer 04 U19s host Newcastle United on the sixth and final matchday of the 2025/26 UEFA Youth League phase. A win at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium would see the Werkself go through to the knockout stages of the competition for the first time. Ahead of the clash on Wednesday, 10 December (kick-off: 14:00 CET/livestream on bayer04.de and in the Bayer 04 app), coach Kevin Brok spoke about the successful build-up, his assessment of the match and the danger of underestimating the already eliminated English side.
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The Werkself will host VfB Stuttgart at the BayArena on matchday 16 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season. The game is on Saturday, 10 January, at 18:30 CET. Information on ticket sales.
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The Werkself will host Werder Bremen at the BayArena on matchday 19 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season. The game is on Saturday, 24 January, at 15:30 CET. Information on ticket sales.
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In the sixth and final match of the league phase of the UEFA Youth League 2025/26, the Bayer 04 U19s have a great opportunity to advance to the knockout phase of Europe’s most prestigious youth competition for the first time. To achieve that under their own steam, they will need a win against Newcastle United at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on Wednesday, 10 December (kick-off: 14:00 CET/ free admission). In an interview with bayer04.de, managing director sport Simon Rolfes analyses the team's performances so far and their special situation. And the 43-year-old reveals what he would be happy to do without on the day of the match.
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The next opponents in the 2025/26 DFB Pokal have been announced: Bayer 04 will host Bundesliga rivals FC St. Pauli in the quarter-finals. That was the outcome of the draw held this Sunday evening, 7 December, at the German Football Museum in Dortmund, where long-time Bundesliga player and coach Friedhelm Funkel made the draw. The Werkself will play their quarter-final tie on 3-4 or 10-11 February 2026. The exact dates have yet to be finalised.
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