
The Lower Rhine company DERBYSTAR this morning presented the official match ball for the next Bundesliga campaign. As with this season, two striking colours dominate – next term it is dark blue and orange. The material of the new Bundesliga Brillant APS is identical to its predecessor.

DERBYSTAR has provided the Bundesliga official match ball since 2018/19 and recently agreed a contract extension with the DFL to 2026.
Before the new season in Germany’s top flight kicks off, this summer sees the European Championships played across the continent. As confirmed by the German Football Association (DFB) on Tuesday, Germany coach Joachim Löw will announce his preliminary squad for the tournament on 19 May. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 61-year-old will be able to take 26 players to the Euros this year – three more than usual. Löw will reveal his final squad on 1 June with the opening match being played on 11 June. The first game for Germany is four days later against the World Cup winners France. The other group opponents are Portugal (19 June) and Hungary (23 June).
The long-time Werkself player Michael Ballack (1999 to 2002 and 2010 to 2012) will be the TV pundit on MagentaSport for the European Championships in the summer. The former midfield maestro can call on his expertise gained from 267 Bundesliga appearances plus 98 international caps.

The Telekom sports broadcaster will show all the Euro games live, including ten exclusively. There will be up to ten hours of coverage every day.
And last but not least, we have a Black and Red TV tip for you: Bayer 04 will show all the highlights of the Werkself Bundesliga matches on the club’s YouTube channel free of charge. Click HERE for action from the game at Werder Bremen (0-0).

Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and Bayer 04 loanee Francis Onyeka are part of Germany's final squad for the U19 European Championships this summer. The tournament is in Wales from 24 June to 12 July.
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Bayer 04 are away to third-division club SV Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal. That was the outcome of the draw on Saturday night, 6 June, at the German Football Museum in Dortmund. The Werkself first round tie will be played between 21 and 24 August. The exact date has yet to be finalised.
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Carles Martìnez is raring to go. The 42-year-old speaks in his first interview in Leverkusen about the club's development to date and how he wants to build on it. He describes his previous work in France, Kuwait, Qatar and his native Barcelona, his experience in developing young players, and the key steps between now and the start of pre-season training.
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New Bayer 04 head coach Carles Martínez has arrived in Leverkusen! At midday on Friday, the 42-year-old spoke in a press conference at the BayArena about his philosophy and his aims. Managing director sport Simon Rolfes also discussed the reasons for appointing the former Toulouse boss.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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