He has simultaneously and quickly impressed both fans and experts: Mitchel Bakker, signed from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, shone from the start with his powerful and pacy game. He has scored one goal and provided two assists in six Bundesliga matches for the Werkself.
These impressive performances have secured the Leverkusen left-back a place in the trio of players nominated by the DFL for the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month for September. Bakker is joined by Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig) and Omar Marmoush (VfB Stuttgart).
You can vote for the Werkself defender as the #BLRookie for the month of September up to Thursday, 7 October at 23.59 CEST. You can vote HERE. The final result is made up as follows: 40 per cent of the vote comes from the fans with 30 per cent each from the 18 team captains plus a range of experts.
Florian Wirtz made his debut for Germany at the start of September. The 18-year-old has won another three caps since then. There could be another two in the next few days. Hansi Flick has called up Wirtz to his squad for the forthcoming matches against Rumania (8 October) and North Macedonia (11 October).
The 56-year-old explained the reasons for selecting the Leverkusen player: “His goals return and his goal involvements are outstanding for his age,” said Flick. “He had good self-confidence. He’s in the right place when it counts.”
Ömer Toprak is back in Leverkusen – albeit for rehab. The central defender, who has played for Werder Bremen for the past two years, has recently suffered from multiple muscle problems. Toprak has missed the last three second division games.
The 32-year-old, at Bayer 04 from 2011 to 2017, has decided to continue his rehab in Leverkusen. Dr. Burak Yildirim, the Werkself team doctor and the medical team at Werder Bremen are in close contact. “It’s important for us to find the best way forward for every player,” said Werder head coach Markus Anfang on Tuesday. Anfang knows the set-up at the Werkstatt as he worked as a youth coach at Bayer 04 from January 2013 to June 2016.
This week the Bayer 04 Women are not only to be seen on the pitch but also heard off it: The Leverkusen players Verena Wieder and Kristin Kögel were guests on the women’s football podcast ‘Nicht schlecht, Frau Specht!’. In conversation with presenters Markus Trümper and Danny Fritz there are exceptional anecdotes as well as the current events in the FLYERALARM Women’s Bundesliga. Last season, listeners of this podcast were able to hear from Bayer 04 player Jessica Wich.
The current episode with the two black and red offensive players Wieder and Kögel goes online on Wednesday 6 October and is available on all the usual podcast platforms. The previous episodes of ‘Nicht schlecht, Frau Specht!’ are HERE.
Bayer 04 congratulates Exequiel Palacios on his 23rd birthday. The midfielder is currently away on international duty and is already in Argentina. He is completing his first training sessions with the Argentina national team. In discussion with the Albiceleste medical team, the recently injured Leverkusen player will focus on his rehab programme in the first week of training. In week two, Pala should be available for Argentina.
And several former Leverkusen players celebrate their birthdays on this Tuesday: Hans-Jürgen Scheinert is 67 years old. The defender made 163 appearances for Bayer 04 from 1975 to 1981 and scored 9 goals for the club. In 1978/79 he and his teammates secured promotion to the Bundesliga.
Bayer 04 also wish Robbie Kruse all the best on his 33rd birthday. The Australian wore the black and red shirt from 2013 to 2017. And another birthday boy: Christian Beer, at the club from 1979 to 1982, celebrates his 63rd birthday. Many happy returns.
Bayer 04 also remember former head coach Sascha Lewandowski who would have been 50 on Tuesday. Lewandowski was a coach with the Werkself for eight years, including five with the youth teams plus two as head coach of the Bundesliga team. Lewandowski passed away in 2016.
The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
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After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
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When Exequiel Palacios moved from the Argentinian club River Plate to Bayer Leverkusen on 1 January 2020, the then 21-year-old could not have imagined just how successful the next six and a half years would be for him. Pala, as he is known, had already won the Copa Libertadores – the most prestigious competition in South American club football – with River Plate. But there were still so many more trophies to come.
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