The 75-minute appearance in the 4-1 home win against TSG Hoffenheim was the last in 2020 for Lars Bender. The vice-captain was due to play at right-back in the following away game at FC Köln (4-0) but suffered an injury in the warm-up. The 31-year-old, who is set to hang up his boots in the summer like his brother Sven Bender, has been forced to watch from the sidelines since then.
Lars Bender rejoined his team-mates for the first time on Monday following rehab and individual sessions during the festive season. And left-back Daley Sinkgraven also took part in the first session of the week after recovering from a Covid-19 infection with a period of self-isolation. Hopes are high that the duo will be back in the first team squad for the next home game against Werder Bremen on Saturday 9 January (kick-off: 15.30 CET).
In his four years under the Bayer Cross, Christoph Daum three times led the Werkself to finish runners-up in the Bundesliga. The 67-year-old was at the helm at Leverkusen from 1996 to October 2000 – and he made a lasting impression on the supporters. In the votes for the Bundesliga All-Stars 2019, he gained the most votes from Bayer 04 fans amongst all the coaches.
Daum recently talked about a current and a former player of his former club from Leverkusen in an interview with Sport1. He deemed comparisons between the youngsters Florian Wirtz, who has been at the Werkself for one year, and Kai Havertz (Chelsea) to be misplaced. Daum: "I can't stand hearing it. Wirtz is not a new Havertz. Please let the lad develop and don't immediately make him the new Havertz and next superstar."
The 17-year-old Germany U21 international does have great potential but should "go his own way and develop his own style." Wirtz is an "incredibly talented player and should be given time," added Daum.
The 18-months at Leverkusen represent a section of his already impressive career that Toni Kroos would not like to forget. In 2018, the central midfield player, who has now been at Real Madrid for six years, said to SPORT BILD: "I've got very good memories of Leverkusen and I'm grateful I had the chance there to improve and perform consistently. It was an incredibly important time in my career."
Born in Greifswald, Kroos joined Bayer 04 on loan from Bayern Munich in January 2009 and he went on to make 43 Bundesliga appearances for the Black and Reds before returning to Munich. The 2014 World Cup winner celebrates his 31st birthday on Monday. Bayer 04 wish Toni: happy birthday!
Bayer 04 TV bring you the best goals, assists and magic moments from our former number 39 in a Werkself shirt. Watch the video HERE.
The German Football League (DFL) has announced the three candidates for the title of Bundesliga Rookie of the Month for January. That includes Werkself player Jarell Quansah. Fans of Bayer 04 can vote for their favourite on the Bundesliga app from now until Thursday, 5 January (23:59 CET).
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The Leverkusen eSports team picked up valuable points and made up ground in the overall table with a top four finish in the offline round in Showdown 4 in the VBL Club Championship 2025/26. In the round of 16, Showdown 1 winners Bayer 04 defeated the unbeaten runners-up in the previous round, VfL Bochum, in a thrilling penalty shoot-out. The Landwehr cousins, themselves the current club runners-up, then beat the current club champions and Showdown 3 winners RB Leipzig. It was not until the semi-finals that they lost out to the eventual showdown winners Borussia Mönchengladbach.
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Bayer 04 have agreed a loan move for U19s striker Ken Izekor to join Bundesliga 2 club Eintracht Braunschweig on loan for the rest of the 2025/26 season.
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Bayer 04 have agreed a loan deal for Jeanuel Belocian to join fellow Bundesliga club Wolfsburg on loan until the end of the season. The 20-year-old defender’s contract in Leverkusen runs until 30 June 2029.
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Bayer 04 have recalled Tim Oermann from his loan at Sturm Graz and will now include the centre-back in the team’s plans for the rest of the 2025/26 season. The Germany U21 international signed for the Werkself from Bochum in summer 2025 on a contract until 30 June 2029.
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