"It's hit us all very hard, you could feel it in training and it isn't easy for us. But something like that happens in football every year with every team. Therefore, it's about finding football solutions," said the 43-year-old coach.
Seoane added: "You can't exactly replace a player but with Demirbay, Azmoun and Paulinho we have enough players with similar quality who can fill those positions in their own way." Seoane is also considering a change of system. Above all, the Swiss coach sees a united team performance as essential: "Everybody has to take more responsibility now and be more decisive in front of goal."
Good news: Midfielders Karim Bellarabi and Robert Andrich completed full training at the start of the week on Monday. The decision on their availability on Thursday 17 March (kick-off: 18.45 CET) for the second leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 tie against Atalanta will be taken later on in consultation with the medical section. And striker Patrik Schick has put his football boots on again for the first time since his recent injury. However, Seoane did say his return to the squad is not yet realistic.
Charles Aránguiz now enjoys a particularly special place in the statistics: The Werkself player made his 150th Bundesliga appearance in the 1-0 defeat against FC Köln at the weekend and is now in the top 10 foreign players to make the most appearances at Bayer 04. He is currently in seventh place. Top of the list is the Switzerland international Tranquillo Barnetta who made a total of 187 appearances for the Werkself. Many congratulations from Bayer 04.
Bayer Gastronomie is sending out invites for a jobs fair at the Leverkusen Casino on Saturday 26 March. Anybody interested can attend sessions from 10.00 to 13.00 CET (doors open: 09.30 CET) and from 14.002 17.00 CET (doors open: 13.30 CET) to find out about career opportunities in catering – that covers casual posts, openings for careers or professional jobs working in canteens, restaurants, hotels of Bayer AG as well as at the BayArena.
The fair provides full information and includes direct applications on site. Also there is a look behind the scenes with a meet & greet with people currently working in catering. The live cooking session will be a highlight of the day. Free registration and further information is available HERE.
The former Werkself player Thomas Brdaric is no longer the coach at the Albanian top-flight club KF Vllaznia. The 47-year-old coach was in charge of the nine-time champions for 77 games since the summer of 2020 and last season led the relegation-threatened club from Shkodër to win the domestic cup and finish runners-up in the league. A 2-1 home defeat to the current league leaders KF Tirana was the latest result and they are now fourth in the league.
Brdaric joined Leverkusen from SC Fortuna Köln in the summer of 1999. After a season on loan at Hannover 96 in 2003, the striker moved on to VfL Wolfsburg a year later. The former Germany international twice finished second in the league with the Black and Reds and in 2002 played in the Champions League final on the #RoadtoGlasgow.
Bayer 04 today congratulate two birthday girls from the Black and Red family – on the one hand Dena Blagojevic. The Serbia international with the Bayer 04 Women's team is now 25 years old. Midfielder Clara Fröhlich today comes of age – many happy returns on your 18th birthday. Have a great time.
Levin Öztunali also celebrates his birthday today. The Hamburg-born player moved under the Bayer Cross from the HSV youth set-up in 2013. The midfielder made his Bundesliga debut in August 2013 in a 3-1 home win against SC Freiburg. At the age of 17 years and 146 days he was the youngest Bundesliga player for the Werkself up to that point. Following a loan period at Werder Bremen, the grandson of Uwe Seeler moved on to Mainz 05 in 2016. The Germany U21 international joined Union Berlin the start of this season. Many congratulations on this 26th birthday from Bayer 04.
We would also like to remember Alfred Mutz. The former goalkeeper was between the sticks for the Black and Reds for ten years from 1951 to 1961 and he made 281 league appearances. The Remscheid-born keeper also helped found the Bayer 04 Veterans team. Fredy would have been 96 today.
The Golden Boy Top 100 traditionally lists Europe’s most promising young players. In the latest update, published to mark the start of the new season, four current Werkself players – alongside loanee Francis Onyeka – feature on the list. This means Bayer 04 have the most players in contention of any Bundesliga club.
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Goalkeeper Rafaela Borggräfe will continue to play for Bayer 04 Leverkusen next season. The loan of the Germany U23 international, who joined from Liverpool in the winter, has been extended by a further year.
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The Bayer 04 delegation, led by Fernando Carro, CEO, concluded their multi-day trip to Brazil with a visit to the community-based organisation Bola Pra Frente in Rio de Janeiro – founded by former Werkself player Jorginho. During the visit, Bayer 04 committed to extending support for the Bola Pra Frente project for a further five years. In addition, Jorginho, a member of the Brazil 1994 World Cup-winning squad, was named Bayer 04’s second official club legend. With the visit to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the club has strengthened the relationships built up over the years in one of Bayer 04’s most important international markets.
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Ten years after retiring as a player, Kristina Sundov is returning to the Bayer 04 Women’s team as assistant coach. The 39-year-old former Croatia international takes over from Remzi Kahraman, who has taken up a new challenge abroad. She has been given a contract to 30 June 2028.
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The training pitches at the BayArena are already buzzing with activity again, even before training officially begins next week. On Monday morning, a small group from the Werkself first-team squad completed a session lasting around an hour. Both new and familiar faces were present.
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