Experts, club representatives and fans have voted Havertz 'EA SPORTS Player of the Month' for May for his impressive performances for the Werkself in the Bundesliga. The 20-year-old received the trophy at the BayArena at the beginning of the week. "For me, the success of the team comes first. But, of course, you're happy to accept awards like this. It's good feedback that shows you've played well in that month," said Havertz.
The Werkself player scored five goals in the first four league games after the restart and was voted for ahead of Achraf Hakimi (Borussia Dortmund), Christoph Baumgartner (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Timo Werner (RB Leipzig) plus Joshua Kimmich and Benjamin Pavard (both FC Bayern).
Central striker Lucas Alario, who started all of the last three matches and scored two goals, is not in the squad for tomorrow's game against FC Köln (kick-off: 20.30 CET). The Argentinian received a fifth yellow card for the season in the away game at Schalke 04 (1-1) and is therefore sidelined for the Rhineland clash.
After his move from SV Grün-Weiß Brauweiler, Florian Wirtz played for the youth teams at FC Köln for ten years where he also became a Germany youth international. Last winter, the Puhlheim-born player finally opted for a move to Bayer 04. Peter Bosz quickly brought him into the first-team squad – and ensured that Wirtz could make his Bundesliga debut. The rest is history: At the age of 17 years and 15 days the Werkself whippersnapper was the third youngest player in the history of Germany's top flight. Thanks to his goal against FC Bayern, the forward can also claim to be "the youngest Bundesliga goalscorer of all time."
Ahead of the first clash with his former club, FC Köln sporting director Horst Heldt shared his views on Wirtz. "I'm happy for Florian and I assume he will play. He will definitely want to show what he can do. We wish him all the best for the future," said the 50-year-old who added with a wink of the eye: "If he thinks he has to perform well against us then he'll get a kick up the behind."
Good news from the Bailey household: The 22-year-old and his partner welcomed their son Leo into the world on Sunday morning. All three are happy and healthy. The Jamaican left his homeland in 2011 for Austria and, via Slovakia and Belgium, he joined Bayer 04 in January 2017. He has played for the Black and Reds ever since. Congratulations, Leon!
The DFB has confirmed timings for the final matchdays for the Bayer 04 Women in the FLYERALARM Women's Bundesliga. Tomorrow's away game at bottom-of-the-table FF USV Jena (kick-off: 15.00 CET) is followed on Sunday, 21 June, by a crucial clash at Kurtekotten in the relegation battle. The Black and Reds entertain the FC Köln women's team. The team from Cologne currently have one more point. Both teams are just above the position currently held by MSV Duisburg – who are level on points with Achim Feifel's team – in the first of the two relegation spots.
On the final matchday, the Bayer 04 Women are away to the serial champions VfL Wolfsburg who, in all probability, are set to secure their sixth league title in succession this week. The kick-off in the final league game of the season on Sunday, 28 June, is at 14.00 CET at the AOK Stadium. All matches are played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Fitness coach Daniel Jouvin has worked under the Bayer Cross for nine years. 'Giga', as he's known, is anything but a giant physically with his height of 1.65 metres, but his quality as a fitness and rehab coach puts him amongst the very best in the business. Back in his home country Brazil, Jouvin trained with famous doctors and physiotherapists and he also worked for a big club Flamengo Rio de Janeiro and the Brazil national team. The South American originally came to Bayer 04 as the personal fitness coach of Renato Augusto. He quickly extended his repertoire to the whole team; as fitness coach but also as a contact and help with integration for the South Americans in the squad. 'Giga' is 42 today. Bayer 04 wishes him: Many happy returns!
Bayer 04 have the chance to reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League for the third time ever and the first in 14 years at Arsenal on Tuesday night (kick-off 21:00 CEST/20:00 local time). To do that, the Werkself not only require a strong performance like in the first leg, but also full concentration until the very last minute, as the Premier League leaders like to score late - as they did at the BayArena last week. Here's the Matchday News.
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A special award for special social commitment. At this year's ceremony for the Sepp Herberger Awards in Wolfsburg on Monday night, the DFB Sepp Herberger Foundation recognised Bayer 04 in the social rehabilitation category. The Bundesliga club received the prize, together with €12,000, for its great service to inmates, particularly in the Wuppertal-Ronsdorf prison.
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Can Bayer 04 pull off a coup in London? Just over a week after the 1-1 draw in the first leg of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie, the Werkself are now looking to put in a convincing performance away at Arsenal – and get a result to secure a place in the quarter-finals. Ahead of the match on Tuesday, (kick-off: 21:00 CET), head coach Kasper Hjulmand shared his thoughts on the team’s hunger for success. Exequiel Palacios, meanwhile, spoke about the importance of the fixture and the team’s development over the past few months.
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In their last two matches, they’ve done exactly what 'Laterkusen' did in the 2023/24 double-winning season: late on, but not too late, the Gunners scored crucial goals – first in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 at Bayer 04, then last weekend in the Premier League against Everton. This Tuesday, 17 March (kick-off: 21:00 CET), Arsenal host the Werkself in London. The latest on our opponents.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 1-2 loss at VfL Wolfsburg on the 20th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.
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