It was the big shock in the week of the cup final: Paulinho injured the cruciate in his right knee in training on Tuesday, 2 July. The outcome: several months on the sidelines. Paulinho's teammates sent a video get-well message from the BayArena to Innsbruck where the 19-year-old underwent a successful operation. The winger has been back in Leverkusen since Tuesday and has today started his rehab programme at the Werkstatt facility.
This incident is now part of German football folklore: In the 85th minute of the 1990 World Cup final against Argentina, Andreas Brehme stepped up to take a penalty with the score at 0-0. Today is the 30th anniversary of the final. Sport-Bild took this opportunity to invite Franz Beckenbauer, Lothar Matthäus and goalscorer Brehme to an interview. And the latter spoke about the seconds before the penalty, which he hit into the same corner of the net as he did against England in the semi-final.
The now 59-year-old was asked whether that was taking a risk. "The biggest risk was Rudi Völler coming up to me before I took the kick and saying: 'Andi, if you score, we'll win the World Cup.' I just thought: Thanks a lot for making that clear," answered Brehme, who famously refused to be put off by the words of wisdom from today's Leverkusen sporting managing director. And so Völler, Brehme and Co. ended up celebrating winning the World Cup. Bayer 04 congratulate Rudi Völler and Co. on this anniversary.
The football portal transfermarkt.de has issued the first market value update in a top league since the coronavirus pandemic and adjusted numerous market values in the Bundesliga. This includes Bayer 04 youngster Florian Wirtz having his initial value rated at €10 million. The 17-year-old is thereby the third most valuable player born in 2003 worldwide. And the Werkself players Moussa Diaby (+5 to €32 million) and Edmond Tapsoba (+4 to €22 million) have increased in value.
The former Leverkusen player Heung-Min Son presented himself with a present two days before his birthday with Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs gained valuable points in the race for a Europa League spot with a 1-0 win against Everton on Monday night. The South Korea international, who played for Bayer 04 from 2013 to 2015, is 28 today (Wednesday).
Diaby celebrated his 21st birthday yesterday. The Frenchman joined the Werkself on Paris St Germain in the summer and he has scored five goals and provided five assists in 28 Bundesliga appearances. Bayer 04 wish the two wingers many happy returns (belatedly)!
Edmond Tapsoba is one of the pillars of the Bayer 04 team. The defender is now in his seventh season with the Werkself and taking on a new role as a leader on and off the pitch. Talking to Werkself Magazine, the 26-year-old Burkina Faso international explains the increased demands placed on his position within the team, his role as a “big brother” and why the squad’s overhaul is an opportunity for him and the team.
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The Werkself have completed an intensive preseason and made a successful start to the 2025/26 campaign in the DFB Pokal as the new Bundesliga season finally starts this week. And, as in the cup tie in Großaspach (4-0), head coach Erik ten Hag's team can continue to look forward to strong support from the Bayer 04 fans at the BayArena. There is continuing high demand for tickets both for match tickets and season cards. And other stats from the past weeks and months show: the fans are up for Bayer 04!
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed the French central defender Loïc Badé. The France international joins the Werkself from top-flight Spanish club FC Sevilla. Badé has signed a contract at Leverkusen to 30 June 2030. The 25-year-old will wear the number 5 jersey in the team led by head coach Erik ten Hag.
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Bienvenue à Leverkusen, Loïc Badé! Bayer 04 have signed the 25-year-old defender from FC Sevilla. The France international has signed a contract at Leverkusen to 2030 and he will wear the number 5 jersey. Bayer04.de profiles the 1.91 metre new signing who has experience in England and France as well as Spain.
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