News in brief: DFL confirms matchdays 19 to 23

As in January, the team under head coach Peter Bosz have a crowded fixture list again in February. After seven games in the first month of the year, there are at least another six to be played in February. The DFL announced the dates when the Werkself will be in action on Bundesliga matchdays 19 to 23 on Thursday.

January is rounded off with the big match against RB Leipzig. That is due to be played in Saxony on Saturday 30 January (kick-off: 18.30 CET). There are two Saturday afternoon home games at the start of February: First, VfB Stuttgart visit the BayArena (6 February) and they are followed a week later by FSV Mainz 05. Both games kick off at 15.30 CET.

The meeting with Mainz is followed on Sunday 21 February (kick-off: 13.30 CET) by an away game at FC Augsburg. Bayer 04 complete the following matchday 23 with a home game against SC Freiburg on Sunday night, 28 February. This game kicks off at 18.00 CET.

Forthcoming Bundesliga and Europa League games:

RB Leipzig vs Bayer 04 (Saturday 30 January, 18.30 CET)

Bayer 04 vs VfB Stuttgart (Saturday 6 February, 15.30 CET)

Bayer 04 vs FSV Mainz 05 (Saturday 13 February, 15.30 CET)

Young Boys Bern vs Bayer 04(Thursday 18 February, 18.55 CET)

FC Augsburg vs Bayer 04 (Sunday 21 February, 13.30 CET)

Bayer 04 vs Young Boys Bern (Thursday 25 February, 21.00 CET)

Bayer 04 vs SC Freiburg (Sunday 28 February, 18.00 CET)

>>>> Click here for the Bayer 04 digital fixture list <<<<

Happy birthday, Scholle!

The former Leverkusen player Heiko Scholz experienced two historic moments in his playing career – one at international level and one with Bayer 04. The German Democratic Republic National team played their 293rd and final international on 12 September 1990. In the line-up against Belgium: Heiko Scholz, back then at Dynamo Dresden. Bayer04.de included Scholle's match for the history books in the series on the subject of '30 years of reunification' with a dedicated contribution with numerous anecdotes from back then.

In the summer of 1992, Scholz moved from the Elbe to the Rhineland, to Bayer 04 to be more exact. Born in Görlitz, the Werkself midfielder won the DFB Cup in 1993 in Scholz' first season in Black and Red. For the new signing, who was in the starting eleven against the Hertha Berlin second team, it was the second title after winning the GDR Cup with Lokomotive Leipzig six years before – another historic moment in his career.

Heiko Scholz, currently working as assistant coach at Dynamo Dresden, will definitely remember those two legendary matches on Thursday when he celebrates his 55th birthday with his family. Bayer 04 wish Heiko: Many happy returns.

Wendell returns

Following on from Lars Bender and Daley Sinkgraven returning at the start the week, Wendell joined up with his teammates on the training ground on Thursday after recovering from a Covid-19 infection. The Brazilian tested positive immediately after returning from his Christmas holiday break back home in Brazil and from that point he was in self-isolation.