The former Bayer 04 player was with the Black and Reds for nine years before moving from Leverkusen to Venice ahead of the current 2022/23 season. In the current campaign in the Italian second division, the centre forward has scored seven goals and provided four assists to date. That makes the 28-year-old the top striker and best provider for FCV. In the 2-2 draw against Parma on Boxing Day, the Finland international scored to make it 2-1 (70') and eight minutes later laid on the assist for the equaliser scored by teammate Nicolas Pierini.
Bayer 04 keeper Lukas Hradecky will meet two other finish fellow countrymen in addition to Pohjanpalo on Saturday in the Venezia goalkeeper duo of Jesse Joronen and Niki Mäenpää. Also in the Venezia squad: Michaël Cuisance. The French midfielder move from Bayern Munich to Italy in the winter of last year.
The Black and Greens have been coached by Paolo Vanoli since November of last year. The 50-year-old was working as a technical coach for the Italy team and was previously assistant coach to Antonio Conte at Chelsea between 2017 and 2018.
Following relegation from Serie A last season, Pohjanpalo and Co. are currently seventeenth in Serie B. The friendly against the Alonso team provides a warm-up ahead of the return to league action on Monday 16 January. The opponents then are third-placed Genoa CFC, the former club of Bayer 04 player Nadiem Amiri.
Tickets are still available for the match against the ‘Leoni Alati’ (‘The Winged Lions’). Match tickets are available HERE.
Bayer 04 will broadcast the game against the club from Italy live on Werkself TV and YouTube. Niko Hartmann will provide live commentary for Werkself Radio.
Sofie Zdebel is up for the Goal of the Month award for February on ARD-Sportschau. Fans have until 21 March (19:00 CET) to vote for the Germany U23 international's volley to make it 2-0 in the Bayer 04 Women's derby against FC Köln (2-1).
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen are further expanding their partner network: The feed manufacturer PerNaturam is an official sponsor of the Bayer 04 Womens team. The partnership opens up a wide range of opportunities for the company to position its brand in the Bundesliga environment.
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Do you dream of wearing the Bayer cross on your chest? To play in black and red like your role models Loreen Bender, Cornelia Kramer, Kristin Kögel and co. from the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga? Then take your chance now! Our female youth teams are once again on the lookout for new talent. That's why Bayer 04 are organising a talent day on 12 April 2026 for the first time this year with trials for female juniors.
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Arsenal, one of the favourites in the UCL, visit the BayArena for the first leg in the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16. Kai Havertz and Piero Hincapie, two long-serving Bayer 04 players, are set to return to the BayArena for the first time since leaving the club. As part of the match against the Gunners, fans can look forward to exciting Sound of Dreams festival activities at the stadium. Club members can also secure another SoD Unplugged ticket for a chance to win a special prize. Today’s matchday news.
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A Champions League showdown at the BayArena awaits. On Wednesday night, 11 March (kick-off: 18:45 CET), the Werkself face Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. Ahead of the clash with the Premier League leaders, head coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke about the Gunners' exceptional strength at set-pieces, a returning striker and "believing in yourself". Forward Christian Kofane also spoke about the approach to the Round of 16 tie and congratulated his personal idol - whose previous success also motivates him for forthcoming challenges.
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