8.08.2022Bayer 04

News in brief: Top viewing figures for Sat 1 Broadcast with Rudi Völler

Rudi Völler’s participation in the SAT 1 Bundesliga broadcast on Friday 12 August attracted a big audience. The broadcast achieved a market share of over 32% for the opening match of the 2022/23 season between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich. Also: While the Werkself had the day off today (Monday 8 August), the Bayer 04 Women's team have a five-day training camp at the Sportzentrum Kaiserau. At the same time, players Lisanne Gräwe and Clara Fröhlich are preparing for the first World Cup game with the Germany U20 team. That and more in the news in brief at the start of the week.

With Rudi on One: The live report from SAT 1 of the opening Bundesliga match, with Rudi Völler acting as a pundit, achieved top spot in TV viewing figures on Friday. More than 10 million viewers watched the game between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Munich (1-6). That is a market share of 32.7% amongst 14- to 49-year-olds:

The long-standing Leverkusen sporting director and managing director Rudi Völler was first in action pitchside as a pundit and finally the 62-year-old analysed the opening victory for FC Bayern on the talk show ran Late Night. Völler handed over the baton as sporting managing director of the Werkself to Simon Rolfes this summer and since then the 1990 World Cup winner has been a member of the Bayer 04 shareholders committee.

women at Training CAMp in Kaiserau

Hard work indeed: The Bayer 04 Women’s squad today started a five-day training camp ahead of the 22/23 season. The team under the new Women's head coach Robert de Pauw made the short journey to the renowned Sportzentrum Kaiserau by coach.

In ideal conditions and hot temperatures, Anna Klink & Co. will have training sessions each day and a friendly against de Pauw’s former club FC Twente Enschede at the end of the training camp on Friday 12 August.

Gräwe and Fröhlich at U20 World Cup

Meanwhile, the Bayer 04 players Lisanne Gräwe and Clara Fröhlich are away with the Germany U20 team. The two Leverkusen players start the World Cup in Costa Rica on Wednesday 10 August. In the first match, Germany in Group B play Colombia (19.0 CEST). That is followed on Saturday 13 August by the game against New Zealand (19.00 CEST). The final group match is next Wednesday, 17 August (01.00 CEST) when Mexico are the opposition.

30 YearS AGO: Henkel wins Olympic gold medal

An historic date: Exactly 30 years ago today, Heike Henkel won an Olympic gold in the high jump in Barcelona. At the end of that year she was also Germany's sports personality of the year and named the world athlete of the year. TSV Bayer 04 talked to Heiko about the medal and her career. HERE is the interview (in German).

birthdays galore

Several former and current Bayer 04 players celebrate their birthdays today. Two women players are included. Amira Arfaoui, at Leverkusen since last year, is now 23 years old. The youngest celebrating their birthday is Sofi Zdebel. The U19 international is 18 today. Finally of adult age.

The former Werkself keeper Uwe Greiner is 63 today. The Stuttgart-born player made 74 appearances for the Black and Reds over two years. Another former Leverkusen player celebrating their birthday today is Josip Drmic. He is 30 today. The Swiss forward joined the Werkself in 2014/2015 but left the Black and Reds a year later to join Borussia Mönchengladbach.

in memory of Peter Röger

Bayer 04 today also remember Peter Röger, who would have been 100 years old today (Monday). Bayer 04 last week dedicated an article to Leverkusen legend in the series 'Rudi recounts'. Click HERE for the article.

Related News

Foto: Dustin Buck (Mitte) mit Kim Falkenberg (Direktor Fußball/r.) und Bernd Korzynietz (Leiter Kaderplanung Jugend/l.).V.l.: Bernd Korzynietz (Head of Recruitment Youth), Jonah Berghoff und Kim Falkenberg (Direktor Fußball)

Bayer 04 - 29.05.2026

Bayer 04 award Jonah Berghoff professional contract

Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with U19 midfielder Jonah Berghoff ahead of schedule. The Germany U18 international has signed professional terms with the club to 30 June 2030.

Bayer 04 - 29.05.2026

Vote now for your 2025/26 Player of the Season

With sixth place at the end of the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign, Bayer 04 ended a season in the top third of the table for the ninth time in a row. While the Werkself were narrowly eliminated in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 by eventual finalists Arsenal, the Black and Reds reached the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal for the third season in succession. As in previous years, you once again have the opportunity to vote for your Player of the Season. Voting is exclusively for Bayer 04 Club members and only via the Bayer 04 app up to and including 11 June.

Women - 29.05.2026

Women: Vote now for your 2025/26 Player of the Season

With 46 points in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga, the Bayer 04 Women’s team once again broke the previous season's club record and ended up in fifth place - 15 wins is also a record. As in previous years, you now have the opportunity to vote for your Player of the Season. Voting is open exclusively to Bayer 04 Club members and only via the Bayer 04 app by 11 June.

Thomas Helmer, Reiner Calmund, Rüdiger Vollborn und Simon Rolfes

Bayer 04 - 29.05.2026

Rolfes and Vollborn on Calmund show

The guests at the Scala Club in Leverkusen were amazed when host Reiner Calmund suddenly brought the Managing Director of Sport at Bayer 04, Simon Rolfes, and record Werkself appearance maker Rüdiger Vollborn onto the stage. As part of the show "An Evening with Football & Friends", organised by long-serving Bayer 04 managing director and general manager Calmund, the two surprise guests drew plenty of applause - and provided great entertainment in exciting conversations about the past and future.