The first training session of the new week primarily focused on running and fitness drills – both outside the stadium as well as in the basement of the BayArena. The whole thing took place without head coach Gerardo Seoane – and that was due to a professional reason.
The 43-year-old was in Zürich to take part in a compulsory further training session organised by the Swiss Football Association. Also there alongside the Swiss football coaches was the Switzerland national coach Murat Yakin as well as the Germany coach Hansi Flick.
The bank holiday on 1 November saw the Werkself players involved in an internal Media Day after the morning session. Following the training session, Lukas Hradecky and Co. had a number of stops in the interior of the BayArena. The outcome: new YouTube formats, international contributions, photos and social media challenges. All that will be available to watch over the coming weeks on the club's media channels but we can give you a sneak preview now.
The next match for the Werkself and Gerardo Seoane is against Real Betis. The clash at the BayArena on Thursday, 4 November (kick-off: 21.00 CET – stadium opens: 19.00 CET) sees first play second in Group G. As announced on Tuesday, #B04BETIS will be live on free to air TV on RTL. Marco Hagemann and Steffen Freund are on the broadcast.
Following the brilliant Round of 16 victory against TSG Hoffenheim (7-6 on penalties), the Bayer 04 Women's team will again be focused on the DFB Cup on Sunday evening. Anna Klink and Co. will discover their opponents in the last eight from 18.30 CET. Sky will broadcast the draw live on Sky Sport Bundesliga 1 and it will also be available as a free stream on skysport.de and on the Sky Sport app.
The potential opponents: Bayern Munich, VfL Wolfsburg, FFC Turbine Potsdam, SGS Essen, SC Sand, Carl Zeiss Jena, SV Henstedt-Ulzburg..
People present at the game still talk about a unique experience they will never forget: On 2 November 2016, five years ago today, Bayer 04 travelled to London. There was a Champions League away game at Tottenham Hotspur – albeit not at White Hart Lane but instead at Wembley Stadium. As the Spurs ground was being rebuilt at the time games on the European stage were moved to the biggest football stadium in Great Britain.
Exactly 85,512 spectators were in the ground on that Wednesday evening – the Werkself had never played in front of more fans before that. The visitors from Leverkusen won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Kevin Kampl (65') and registered a first the victory on English soil.
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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