
For the Bayer 04 CEOs Fernando Carro de Prada and Michael Schade "This partnership is both fitting and ambitious: On the one hand, an international company with over 50 years experience of health-oriented, efficient weight training founded on a scientific basis with in-house machines represents an extraordinary success story. On the other hand, a top German club active all over the world able to use the expertise of the new partner directly to achieve ambitious sporting targets," said Schade.
Michael Antonopoulos, CEO and co-owner of Kieser Training, sees the commitment to a Bundesliga club " as a unique opportunity to associate our sporting concept with such a successful club and to further extend the use of weight training. We are looking forward very much to a long-term and successful partnership."
And for sporting director Rudi Völler the long-term cooperation with Kieser Training represents an ideal development: "Having established themselves as a globally respected and recognised professional provider of weight training since 1967, they have impressively demonstrated their expertise," said Völler. "Kieser Training is a brand established in the minds of people and is synonymous with effective and healthy muscle development. A real constant in a market shaped by temporary fitness fashions and thereby a great partner we can look forward to working with very much here at Leverkusen."
Founded in 1967 by the Swiss Werner Kieser, the weight training chain currently has 158 studios with 283,000 members, which are partly operated as franchise studios. With around 1,700 employees in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Luxembourg and Australia, every single Kieser Training studio provides professional training management and support as well as a consistent offer based on continuing scientific research. This creates a company personality of unmistakable character with the public.

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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After falling behind early on, Bayer 04 took control of the game against a combative and disciplined FC Augsburg on Saturday afternoon. However, they lacked the necessary precision in finishing and hit the post and crossbar three times. After the game, coach Kasper Hjulmand said he wanted to get back to the "right philosophy" of previous matches with three games left in 2025. The Werkself review.
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