Lukas Hradecky and Co. spent around 90 minutes mainly on moves in tight spaces and they finished with work on set pieces. Midfield dynamo Robert Andrich trained on his own on Tuesday due to a knock in the match against Hertha Berlin (2-1) but the 27 year-old today completed all the drills with the squad. Absent from the pitch were Karim Bellarabi, who completed an individual session, as well as Sardar Azmoun who is sidelined with a cold.
It's time again for another edition of the YouTube format 'Nachgefragt' quiz. The subject under discussion: Which superpower would you like to have? The answers from Charles Aránguiz, Jonathan Tah, Sardar Azmoun and Co. are HERE.
Bayer 04 today congratulates Robert Kovac on his 48th birthday. The Croat signed for Leverkusen from FC Nürnberg in the 1996/97 season. The central defender made a total of 162 appearances for the Black and Reds before moving on to FC Bayern in 2001. The former Werkself player was assistant coach to his brother Niko Kovac at Bayern Munich from 2018 to 2020. His last club was AS Monaco.
Michael Ortega is 31 today. The Colombian joined the Werkself on loan from Atlas Guadalajara for the 2011/12 season. The midfielder made his debut on 18 February 2012 in the 4-1 home win against FC Augsburg. At the end of the season, the former Colombia U20 international returned to his original club and the midfielder then spent a season on loan at the then second division club VfL Bochum. Ortega currently plays for the Colombian top-flight club Deportivo Cali.
The Black and Reds kick off the new Bundesliga campaign today, Saturday 29 August (kick-off 15:30 CEST), away to newly promoted SV 07 Elversberg – and the Werkself will come up against a familiar face who is currently causing a stir at ‘Elv’. For an affordable and easy journey to the Saarland, the 1,600 travelling fans can still use the WERKSELFgo car-share platform. Today’s matchday news..
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The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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The Bundesliga is back. On Saturday 29 August (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself are away to SV 07 Elversberg on matchday 1 of the new season. Ahead of the clash at the URSAPHARM Arena on Kaiserlinde, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about the importance of a successful start and the motivation of the league newcomers from the Saarland.
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On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
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After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
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