The BayArena was lit up in purple on Thursday evening. For the seventh year in succession, Bayer 04 have again lit up a coloured beacon to raise awareness of the subject of premature birth and the associated effects on children and parents on World Prematurity Day. Every tenth child is born prematurely. The Klinikum Leverkusen, for many years associated with Bayer 04, is one of the most experienced maternity hospitals in the region with 1,600 births per year. Over 80 premature babies under 1,500 grammes – including 40 premature babies under 1,000 grammes – receive medical care at the Klinikum Leverkusen every year.
Thanks to the extremely high quality of care, even the smallest premature babies with a birthweight of 500 grammes or less can survive. Many other buildings across the globe such as the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building have been lit up in purple in recent years as part of World Prematurity Day.
The Bayer 04 group today (Friday) set off home at the end of the #Bayer04USATour. Jonathan Tah and Co. have enjoyed a range of activities in St. Louis in Missouri since last Sunday 13 November. In addition to two training sessions, the players visited the Bayer AG research centre in Chesterfield. A guided tour through the legendary Busch Stadium, home to the baseball team St. Louis Cardinals, and watching college basketball match were on the Werkself agenda as well. They were also involved in community projects and a cultural programme during the tour.
The sporting highlight came on Wednesday 17 November with the friendly between the Werkself and St Louis CITY SC, a new club in the Major League Soccer (MLS). The friendly played at the brand-new CITYPARK Stadium ended in a 3-0 victory for the team led by head coach Xabi Alonso. The Werkself experiences on the #B04USATour can be found HERE.
Talking about Alonso: The 2010 World Cup winner can be happy with an impressive statistic. Since taking over as head coach of the Werkself at the beginning of October, the Spaniard has coached the team from Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on seven matchdays – the record: four wins, one draw and two defeats. These games include victories against Schalke 04 (4-0), Union Berlin (5-0), FC Köln (2-1) and VfB Stuttgart (2-0). That makes the Black and Reds the fourth best team in the last seven Bundesliga matchdays with three wins in succession most recently and there has only been one defeat in all competitions in the last seven matches – may that continue.
The former Werkself player Alois Reinhardt today celebrates his 61st birthday. The former central defender joined Leverkusen from FC Nürnberg in 1984 and he went on to make 189 appearances the Black and Reds up to his departure in 1991. During his time under the Bayer Cross, the former Germany international won the UEFA Cup in 1987/88. Reinhardt was in the starting line-up in both legs of the final of the competition against Espanyol. Bayer 04 wish Alois a happy birthday.
To all Bayer 04 fans: The Fanwelt will be closed all day next Monday 30 June. This is due to preparations for the change of kit supplier from Castore to New Balance on Tuesday 1 July.
Show moreThe Norway U23 international Julie Jorde has completed the move from Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Brøndby IF. The twelve-time champions of Denmark have signed the midfielder on permanent terms after her loan move from the Bundesliga to Denmark in the winter.
Show moreIt is almost two years since Bayer 04 new signing Abdoulaye Faye first stepped foot into the BayArena as a player for the Swedish club BK Häcken in the opening match in the 2023/24 Europa League campaign. A day before his nineteenth birthday, the central defender did not play in the 4-0 win for the Werkself but it was "an incredible night" for him on 21 September 2023 as he explained in his first interview on bayer04.de. "I watched the players and saw the fans. I liked it." It was also the first European night early on in his career. He only joined the then champions of Sweden in the cold north of Europe from his home in Senegal a few weeks before that special moment. Bayer04.de profiles our new defender.
Show moreWelcome, Abdoulaye Faye. The 20-year-old Senegalese central defender joins Leverkusen from top-flight Swedish club BK Häcken. In his first interview he talks about his move to Bayer 04 and his targets with the Werkself.
Show moreBayer 04 Leverkusen have signed the Senegalese central defender Abdoulaye Faye. The 20-year-old joins the Bundesliga side from Swedish top-flight club BK Häcken. Faye has penned a contract at Leverkusen to 30 June 2030.
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