Four games in ten days plus numerous hours of travel – that is the agenda for the next two weeks before a well-deserved if short winter break. The team travel to Budapest on Wednesday morning, 8 December. This year's penultimate week of training began with a reduced squad on Monday morning. While the players in the starting line-up in the 7-1 win against Greuther Fürth completed an individual session at the BayArena, the rest of the squad were working on the training pitch two at the BayArena.
There was a comeback on the next pitch. Mitchell Bakker, who suffered an ankle injury in the home game against VfL Wolfsburg at the end of October, was working individually with rehab coach Daniel Jouvin in the open air. Head coach Gerardo Seoane forecast a return to full training this year but a place in the squad appears unlikely. "We've determined the programme for the time around New Year so that takes him to the start of preparations for the second half of the season," explained the Swiss coach.
Seoane did not want to reveal his squad for the last group match in the Europa League in Budapest. Ahead of the meeting with Ferencváros, it is certain the Werkself will be in the Round of 16 so he could rest some of his regular starters. Possible candidates are definitely Florian Wirtz and Patrick Schick. Both have had injury problems recently. "We won't take any risks with them," said Seoane. It is very possible the two prolific scorers may not travel to the Hungarian capital.
Andrey Lunev already has the thumbs up for the match in Budapest. The Russia keeper will replace Lukas Hradecky in goal. "Andrey is an experience keeper and is training very well. He has earned his place in the team," explained the Werkself head chef. Lunev joined Leverkusen from Zenit St. Petersburg in the summer of 2021.
The next Bundesliga away game at Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday will be played in front of 15,000 spectators. That was announced by Eintracht Frankfurt. The Frankfurt health authority has approved the relevant application from the Hessen club.
The 2G rule will apply to the Deutsche Bank Park for the first time with all spectators having to be fully vaccinated or fully recovered. Children and teenagers up to the age of 17 and people with medical exemption from vaccination will only need a negative flow test not more than 24 hours old. Children up to the age of six do not have to be vaccinated.
For the first time this season the Doppelpass programme on Sport1 topped one million. The guests on the football talk show included Rudi Völler, Bayer 04 sporting managing director. The last Doppelpass edition also set a record this season on the television company's digital platforms.
The former Werkself player Bernd Schuster, who played for Leverkusen from 1993 to 1996 making a total of 59 appearances (eight goals), won the vote for ARD Sportschau Goal of that Month in December 1994. The vote is now 27 years ago but it remains no less spectacular: In the second leg of the UEFA Cup Round of 16 against Katowice on 6 December 1994, Schuster scored with a free kick on the left from an almost impossible angle to make it 1-0 (final score 4-0).
And there was more: In 1994, the now 61-year-old had already scored the Goal of the Month twice and in the vote for Goal of the Season his goals took places one to three. What an achievment!
New signing Miguel Gutiérrez has made a good start at Leverkusen and has promptly earned a nomination for Player of the Month in his first few weeks in the Bundesliga. He has scored one goal and provided three assists in four league games. The Spanish left-back has also brought some impressive stats with him to Bayer 04. Issue #56 of the Werkself magazine has taken a look at these figures. ‘Facts & Fun’ with Miguel Gutiérrez.
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With seven points, Mainz 05 are currently joint seventh, level on points with sixth-placed Bayer 04. In today’s head-to-head clash (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself must be particularly wary of the clinical Mainz strike duo. For Leverkusen fans who have left it to the last minute, there are still a few tickets available from the matchday ticket office. Those following the Black and Reds from home, on the other hand, have a choice: RTL is broadcasting the match on free-to-air TV, and Werkself Radio is also offering the expert commentary of former Bayer 04 player Falko Götz. Today’s matchday news.
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Back from the international break: On Saturday 10 October (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself are away to Mainz 05. Ahead of the clash at the MEWA ARENA against the side currently sixth in the table, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about the team’s work during the extended international break. The Spaniard also commented, when asked, on a number of squad matters, including Ibrahim Maza.
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FSV Mainz 05 went into the international break on the back of an away win at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Currently sixth in the table, the Rheinhessen side – who have been impressive on the road – now aim to continue their good start to the Bundesliga campaign at home when they face the Werkself on Saturday, 10 October (kick-off: 15:30 CEST). In terms of squad selection, Urs Fischer once again has more options at his disposal. Up front, the Mainz coach is likely to continue relying on what is currently the league’s most successful strike partnership. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Thomas Eichin has been working for Bayer 04 for six years – as Director of Professional Teams since July 2023 – and has contributed to the successful development of our club in many areas. Today, Friday 9 October, Freiburg-born Eichin is celebrating his 60th birthday. We wish him a very happy birthday.
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