
'Das aktuelle Sportstudio’ on ZDF is one of the most famous sports programmes in Germany. Leverkusen sporting managing director Rudi Völler is the guest in the studio in Mainz this Saturday evening, 3 April. The 60-year-old will discuss a number of issues with presenter Sven Voss including his decision not to extend his contract at Bayer 04 due to run out in 2022.
In an interview with Sport Bild, Völler recently spoke about his decision: "I discussed this with my wife Sabrina at Christmas. Since then it's been clear that 2022 will be the end for me. At least in this form. Now is the right time because the club is fundamentally in a good position."
Bayer 04 head coach Hannes Wolf opted for a training session split in two on Wednesday: The warm-up and the following passing drills were completed by Charles Aránguiz and Co. at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium with the second part of the session on the pitch at the BayArena. There was an intense 11 v 11 match for the Werkself. Following on from the session on Tuesday, U19 players Marvin Alexa (see photo below) and Joshua Eze joined the group.

Lennart Grill completed his first training session under new coach Wolf. The goalkeeper has returned from the U21 European Championship where progress to the last eight was secured for Germany last night thanks to a goalless draw with Romania. For Grill and Co. the competition continues with the quarter-finals in Székesfehérvár in Hungary on 31 May. This will involve the teams that finished first and second in the four groups.
Wolf will hold training sessions every day up to the Bundesliga home game against Schalke 04 on Saturday, 3 April (kick-off: 15.30 CEST). The match against the bottom side will be the first game for the 39-year-old as the Werkself head coach.
The new Werks11 Magazine is on its way to Bayer 04 members. As usual, edition 30 includes a wealth of interesting information relating to the Werkself and life at Bayer 04. Fernando Carro, chairman of the board at Bayer 04, has met with four representatives of the fans to discover their experience of football during the coronavirus pandemic.

The editors met up with Nadiem Amiri for an interview at a football pitch in Rheindorf. A detailed look at our three winter signings Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Jeremie Frimpong and Demarai Gray is included as is a portrait of goalkeeper Lennart Grill. There is also an introduction to the Japanese player Mina Tanaka from the Bayer 04 Women's team plus the new U19 coach Sven Hübscher. On top of that, there are a large number of other entertaining articles, reports and impressive photos from the Black and Red world.
Once again you are spoilt for choice. Bayer 04 are looking for the best goal in the month of March 2021 presented by like2drive. The nominations this time round are the Werkself striker Patrik Schick, U19 player Samed Onur plus Chiara Bücher and Mina Tanaka from the Women's team. Click HERE to vote on Facebook.
The German Football Association (DFB) and the German Football League (DFL) last year introduced a course on management in professional football. Stefan Kießling, first team coordinator at Bayer 04, was one of 14 participants to start the course. In a recent interview with bayer04.de, the former player revealed details of the qualification which could become compulsory for Bundesliga managers in the future. As the head of the DFB Academy Tobias Haupt revealed to the news website t-online, the DFB and DFL are already holding intensive discussions on an appropriate change to the statutes.

Anders als bei Trainern – diese müssen den Fußball-Lehrer-Lehrgang durchlaufen, um in der Bundesliga als Chefcoach arbeiten zu können – gab es bei den Managern der Bundesliga bis 2020 keine klassische Standardausbildung. Die Wege in das Berufsfeld waren daher unterschiedlichster Natur.

Bayer 04 will have to manage without defender Guéla Doué for the time being. The Ivory Coast international sustained a muscle injury to his right calf during the final Werkself training session yesterday ahead of the Europa League clash with Slovenian champions NK Celje.
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For the first time since reaching the final against AS Roma (2–2, first leg 2–0) in May 2024, Bayer 04 are playing another home match in the UEFA Europa League – and they will be wearing their new European kit. On Wednesday 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), the BayArena will welcome Slovenian champions NK Celje, who appointed a new coach this week following a mixed start to the season. Under the slogan “40 Years Across Europe. Still Creating History.”, the Black and Reds now aim to add the next chapter to their European history, which has seen so much success in recent years. Bayer 04 fans can follow the match on free-to-air TV on RTL, as well as on Sky and Werkself Radio. The matchday news.
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European football returns to the BayArena: Bayer 04 host Slovenian champions NK Celje on matchday 1 in the group stage of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League. Ahead of the match on Wednesday 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), head coach Carles Martínez and midfielder Aleix Garcia spoke at the pre-match press conference. The focus was primarily on the great anticipation surrounding the competition and the clear objectives for it – and, given the circumstances, on a last-minute change to the opposition line-up.
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The champions of Slovenia NK Celje are in a European competition for the fourth time in their history. This Wednesday, 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), the side lead by head coach Vitor Campelos visit the BayArena for matchday 1 in the group stage in the UEFA Europa League. Celje’s last match at the weekend did not go to plan. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Construction work continues on the ‘Haus der Talente’ on Kurtekottenweg in Leverkusen, where 36 young elite athletes will find a new home from next summer. The building team from Temmink Bau, led by Thomas Wellers, are hard at work. Over the past few days, excavators, wheeled loaders and rollers have removed 2,500 cubic metres of soil to excavate the basement.
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