Patrik Schick and Charles Aránguiz are two players with slight knocks after the tough away game at VfB Stuttgart (3-1). "They did recovery work today. We'll wait for the next training sessions as the last match was only two days ago. It doesn't look like there are any serious injuries at the moment," declared head coach Gerardo Seoane.
Edmond Tapsoba was back on the pitch on Tuesday for the first time since he tore an ankle muscle in the middle of July. Seoane: "It was his first session working with the ball. It will be a while yet even though the healing process has gone very well so far.
Due to the red card shown to Robert Andrich in the away game at Stuttgart and the ban for three matches, the Swiss head coach has three defensive midfielders unavailable for the next league fixtures – Julian Baumgartlinger and Exequiel Palacios are currently sidelined through injury. "Of course, that's annoying. But here we have the same approach as with all other problems and challenges we have to face: With us, the glass is always half-fall, never half-empty," said Seoane.
He also has other good options in the holding midfield positions, such as Nadiem Amiri, Florian Wirtz and the very impressive Kerem Demirbay in the current campaign who the 42-year-old coach praised for his development and attitude: "Kerem is technically very skilled and has good vision. Recently he has worked more and more for the team, won challenges and done his defensive work."
New portrait photos, videos, funny GIFs from Bayer 04 and the official team photo are in the can: The Media Day – both the DFL and the club team produced content on Tuesday – extending the working day for Hradecky and Co. A total of 18 Werkself players progressed through the different stopping points at the BayArena including the Olympics, European Championship and Copa America participants as well as most of the summer signings. This is how it looked behind the scenes and cameras:
Try out your normal seat at the BayArena: You want to be at all the home games and enjoy the Werkself football fests? But you are unsure if you want to get a season ticket? Then look out: For a short time, you can try out a season ticket without risk and commitment for the home game against FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday, 25 September (kick-off: 15.30 CEST/stadium opens 13.30 CEST).
This is how it works:
1) Order your season ticket ahead of the game against Mainz 05.
2) Pay the reduced matchday ticket price.
3) Try it out against Mainz 05 and then decide.
Click HEREfor the trial season ticket.
Kristin Kögel and Lara Marti, two members of the Women's squad celebrate their 22nd birthdays on Tuesday. The third to celebrate their birthday on 21 September is Andrzej Buncol. The UEFA Cup winner of 1988 is 62 today. After ending his playing career, including five years with the Werkself, the Pole became a coach. Today he works alongside Pierre de Wit as the coach of the Werkself U14 team. Many happy returns to all three.
Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
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Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
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The Bayer 04 Women’s squad for the coming season is continuing to take shape: Centre-back Emily Wallrabenstein has moved to Leverkusen from Eintracht Frankfurt’s reserve team, who play in the Women’s Bundesliga 2. The 19-year-old has penned a contract until 30 June 2028.
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