The Werkself achieved the target for the season in the Bundesliga last weekend with qualification for the Champions League. Nevertheless, the head coach of the Black and Reds is determined to get a positive result in the final match in the current campaign. "We are approaching it as normal and want to give the supporters a good performance in front of a full house," explained Gerardo Seoane looking forward to the home game against SC Freiburg on Saturday 14 May (kick-off: 15.30 CEST).
While Kerem Demirbay remains a doubt and Karim Bellarabi is ruled out from returning to the squad in spite of being back on the training ground, there could be changes in the starting eleven. Seoane said: "Depending on possible injuries and performances in training."
The former Bayer 04 youngster Dominik Kohr has signed a permanent deal with Mainz 05 following an 18-month loan deal. The club from the Rhineland Palatinate announced on Thursday that the 28-year-old player from Eintracht Frankfurt has signed a four-year contract to 2026. The defensive midfielder joined Eintracht in July 2019 after eleven years under the Bayer Cross – with the exception of a period on loan at FC Augsburg.
Former Leverkusen player Hakan Calhanoglu has won the Italian cup competition with Inter Milan. In the derby d’Italia against Juventus the former Bundesliga player Ivan Perisic played a big part in the 4-2 win with Calhanoglu (2014 to 2017 at Bayer 04) levelling at 2-2 from the penalty spot. Inter are still in with a chance of the double as they are just two points behind city rivals AC Milan in the league.
Thomas ‘Tom’ Dooley celebrates his 61st birthday today (Thursday) – many happy returns from Bayer 04. The former defender played for the Werkself in the 1994/95 season. He made 82 international appearances for the USA during his playing career. The Werkself Magazine has produced an exciting profile of Dooley. Stay fit and healthy, Tom.
Exciting experiences and exclusive insights into the Werkself and the BayArena awaited the young footballers from the BA04 Football Academy Guangzhou in China during their visit to the Rhineland this week. As well as taking part in a joint training session with the Bayer 04 Football Academy, the youngsters marvelled at the Bundesliga club’s stadium during a guided tour. The highlight of the visit was a private press conference with former Bayer 04 striker Stefan Kießling, during which he shared tips from his own career with the young players. On Saturday afternoon, 10 October, the group will round off their visit by supporting the Werkself in the away match in Mainz.
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Fun, games and promising talent: At the fourth Bayer 04 Junior Girls’ Talent Day at the Kurtekotten training centre, 90 football-mad girls had the chance to put themselves forward for the Werkself youth teams. During a 90-minute training session, children born between 2011 and 2019 had the chance to demonstrate their skills.
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Despite the international break, numerous Werkself fans turned up at the BayArena on Saturday 3 October. The occasion: Bayer 04, together with Bayer Vital and main sponsor BarmeniaGothaer, organised a Health Day. In the stadium’s Premium Lounge, guests listened to fascinating talks on the subject of cancer, featuring, amongst others, Bayer 04 record appearance holder Rüdiger Vollborn and former Werkself player Hans Sarpei. Afterwards, young and old alike enjoyed interactive stations such as a grip strength test and eye pupil test.
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In issue #56 of Werkself Magazine, Afonso Moreira offers some interesting insights into his home country, Portugal, as part of the ‘Sag mal’ (Tell me) feature. Among other things, the 21-year-old talks about his favourite places in the country on the Iberian Peninsula, the local cuisine and music, as well as heroes and historical figures beyond the world of football. ‘Sag mal’ with Afonso Moreira!
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