Maximum support for the Werkself: A total of 500 fans will support the team under head coach Gerardo Seoane at the away game at Mainz on Friday night, 18 February (kick-off: 20.30 CET). Bayer 04 have sold the whole allocation of away tickets.
The Seoane team go into the match against Mainz on the back of four league wins in succession with the most recent a 4-2 home victory over VfB Stuttgart. Following another impressive attacking performance from the Black and Reds, youngster Florian Wirtz has been included in the top teams of the matchday in BILD and kicker. The football journal gave the 18-year-old a high mark of two as did the Rheinische Post and the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.
Kai Havertz scored the winner for Chelsea in last summer's Champions League final against Manchester City. The homegrown Bayer 04 player kept his nerve in the biggest game of his career to date when he was through in a one-on-one with the City keeper. Havertz rounded Ederson and scored the only goal of the game.
The 22-year-old, who developed into a world-class player in his ten years at Leverkusen, was in another final with Chelsea at the weekend. The Premier League club faced the Brazilian team Palmeiras, winners of the South American Copa Libertadores, in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup. With the score at 1-1 after 90 minutes, the match went into extra time with Havertz again keeping his nerve as he scored the winner from the penalty spot on 117 minutes. Congratulations Kai.
Another Werkself homegrown player had every reason to celebrate at the weekend. Benjamin Henrichs, at Leverkusen from 2004 to 2018, was a winner with RB Leipzig at FC Köln. Ahead of the 3-1 victory, with the 24-year-old playing the full 90 minutes, the Germany international got in the mood for the clash on the Rhine with the following words on social media: "It's a derby for me – let's go!" Congratulations on the 'derby win', Benni.
The clubs in the FLYERALARM Women's Bundesliga have unanimously voted against exclusion from the German Football Association (DFB) and voted in favour of the formulation of an amendment. The target is sustainable professionalisation of the first and second divisions under the DFB, above all "quick and sustainable development" in the areas of marketing, media and matchday operations. The amendment, drawn up in recent weeks, has now been finalised and is to be presented to the general meeting of the DFB on 11 March.
A wonder goal: 15 years ago today, on 14 February 2007, Bernd Schneider scored a back-heel goal against Blackburn Rovers in the Round of 32 of the UEFA Cup. The goal putting Leverkusen 3-1 up (final score 3-2) was voted Goal of the Month on ARD Sportschau. You can see the goal again HERE.
With three games to play before the end of the season, the Bayer 04 Women can break one record and equal another at SGS Essen. After three wins on the bounce, coach Roberto Pätzold's team are aiming to maintain the chance of third place in Sunday’s away game (14:00 CEST, Stadion an der Hafenstraße).
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From Ouagadougou to Leverkusen – and back: in March, Bayer 04 travelled with Edmond Tapsoba for a special project in his homeland Burkina Faso. The country where his roots and heart lie. The country where he’s more than a world-class defender: a symbol of hope and a role model for an entire generation. The result is a 45-minute documentary about Tapsoba’s long journey from Africa via Portugal to Leverkusen, which offers extraordinary, one-off and emotional insights.
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Edmond Tapsoba has signed an early extension to his contract with Bayer 04 Leverkusen. With two years left on his current deal, the 27-year-old Burkina Faso international has extended his contract until 30 June 2031. The centre-back joined as a young talent from Portuguese top-flight club Vitoria Guimaraes at the start of 2020.
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A special surprise: during the preview for the 'Fierté Burkinabè' documentary about Edmond Tapsoba, Bayer 04 directors Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes announced Tapsoba's contract extension until 2031 together with the centre-back. He then spoke to Werkself-TV about his time in Leverkusen so far and future ambitions...
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This evening was deeply moving: At a really special setting, Bayer 04 exclusively presented the specially produced documentary ‘Fierté Burkinabè’ ("Burkinabe Pride") about Edmond Tapsoba on Tuesday. For the preview at the BayArena, the parents of the Werkself player and other close companions travelled all the way from his African homeland Burkina Faso. The 45-minute film shows Tapsoba's extraordinary career from his beginnings in Ouagadougou to Leverkusen as well as the work of his foundation "Fondation Edmond Tapsoba", with representatives from Burkina Faso also present. Fans can watch the documentary free of charge on Werkself TV and YouTube from Wednesday night at 20:00 CEST.
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