The holidays are over! The Werkself players came to the BayArena on Friday evening to undergo coronavirus tests – everything really gets going on Sunday. All the players first have to undergo the annual performance checks at the beginning of the season. The players will be kept busy for over four hours as they go through twelve different tests covering the areas of medicine, prevention and fitness. The first full training session will be on Monday – albeit without international players who are away with their national teams.
The Thursday edition of the Kicker sports journal included the first part of its half-yearly ranking of German football with four Werkself players in the positions of goalkeeper and central defender. Lukas Hradecky was fifth in the list of Bundesliga goalkeepers. "The Leverkusen player had a good second half of the season but with two crucial blemishes: Both in the league and in the DFB Cup, he made crucial mistakes against FC Bayern," was the reasoning.
Also outside the top four were central defenders Sven Bender in fifth place and Edmond Tapsoba in seventh. Jonathan Tah was also considered. The Kicker on Bender: "Extremely consistent, strong tackling leader also scored important goals. The Leverkusen player just misses out on the international category." On Tapsoba, the magazine writes: "brought in from Guimarães in the winter, Edmond Tapsoba got off to a flying start at Leverkusen with some outstanding performances. Pace, strength in challenges and a remarkable calm on the ball characterise the 21-year-old. The talented youngster from Burkina Faso did have jobs in two big games that he could not initially cope with: in the cup final against Bayern and in the Europa League against Inter Milan."
Two Werkself players have been included in the squad of the season for the UEFA Europa League. The technical observers from UEFA voted for 23 players involved in the Europa League 2019/20 campaign – from Bayer 04 are Jonathan Tah and Kai Havertz. Tah made four appearances in the Europa League last season and Havertz made five. The offensive player scored four goals and provided two assists.
The German Football League (DFL) is continuing to work with the authorities for an early return of spectators this year. The DFL is "ready to take up binding discussions with the relevant political authorities (…). Based on facts, responsible graded solutions should be agreed according to the pandemic situation to allow implementation in November providing the level of infection allows it," was the declaration published on Friday. A summit of federal and state governments announced on Thursday that no spectators would be allowed in professional sport until at least the end of October and large-scale events where contact tracing and the maintenance of hygiene protocols are not possible will be forbidden until at least the end of the year. The DFL sees "no fundamental reason for the denial" of games with spectators in the Bundesliga and second division.
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
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From special edition jerseys to fan banners, the home game against Mainz 05 was all about the many Bayer 04 fan clubs. Accordingly, a fitting tribute to the long-standing Werkself supporters was not to be missed during half-time in the Bundesliga match. Fernando Carro, CEO, honoured the up to 50-year anniversaries of six fan clubs in front of the coaches' benches at the BayArena.
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It is an expression of solidarity and a tribute to the unique fan culture Under the Cross: Bayer 04 Leverkusen make a special statement with the "50 Years of Fan Clubs" jersey. To mark the founding of the "First Fan Club 1976 Leverkusen", which was followed by many more over the years right up to the present day, the Bundesliga club is commemorating 50 years of passion with this new jersey. Highs and lows, successes celebrated together as well as defeats suffered are manifested in this piece of white fabric, a symbol of unwavering identification with the Werkself.
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There’s lots going on at the BayArena today. The home game against FSV Mainz 05 is all about the numerous Bayer 04 fan clubs, whose birth - the founding of the "1. Fanclub 1976 Leverkusen" - dates back 50 years. A number of fan club representatives will be involved in awards, a banner display and a half-time matchday chat, and the Werkself are set to play in a special white fan club jersey. During half-time, Leverkusen mayor Stefan Hebbel and javelin world champion Steffi Nerius will also talk about the Olympic bid involving Leverkusen. Black and Red fans are advised to get to the stadium in good time today. Matchday news.
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The Werkself host Premier League club Arsenal in the Round of 16 first leg in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign. The match at the BayArena is on 10/11 March. Read on for information on ticket sales for this fixture.
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