And the Bayer 04 attack can expect to come up against a very strong defence in the team from the Greek capital: Panathinaikos did not concede in the goalless draw in the friendly against the English club Watford or in the 1-0 win against Al-Duhail from Qatar.
And the team under head coach Ivan Jovanovic had the best defence in the Super League last term (along with champions Olympiacos) with only 26 goals conceded in 36 matches. While that "only" meant fourth place in the Greek top-flight for the team from the capital, Panathinaikos did secure a title last season: They won the domestic cup competition in the middle of May with a 1-0 win in the final against PAOK Thessaloniki.
The core of the Panathinaikos team is formed by Greek players like captain Dimitrios Kourbelis who is in his sixth season with the 20-time Greek champions. Probably the biggest talent in the PAOK squad, homegrown player Sotiris Alexandropoulos, plays alongside the skipper in midfield.
The Greek players line up alongside teammates from other countries in southern Europe: Goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli is Italian, left-back Xavier is Portuguese, central defender Zvonimir Sarlija comes from Croatia and four other players are Spanish.
Panathinaikos and Bayer 04 have played each other in competitive matches in the past: In the Round of 16 in the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1993/94, the Black and Reds lost 2-1 in the first leg but went through to the next round with a 4-1 victory over the Greeks in the second leg.
Exciting experiences and exclusive insights into the Werkself and the BayArena awaited the young footballers from the BA04 Football Academy Guangzhou in China during their visit to the Rhineland this week. As well as taking part in a joint training session with the Bayer 04 Football Academy, the youngsters marvelled at the Bundesliga club’s stadium during a guided tour. The highlight of the visit was a private press conference with former Bayer 04 striker Stefan Kießling, during which he shared tips from his own career with the young players. On Saturday afternoon, 10 October, the group will round off their visit by supporting the Werkself in the away match in Mainz.
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Fun, games and promising talent: At the fourth Bayer 04 Junior Girls’ Talent Day at the Kurtekotten training centre, 90 football-mad girls had the chance to put themselves forward for the Werkself youth teams. During a 90-minute training session, children born between 2011 and 2019 had the chance to demonstrate their skills.
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Despite the international break, numerous Werkself fans turned up at the BayArena on Saturday 3 October. The occasion: Bayer 04, together with Bayer Vital and main sponsor BarmeniaGothaer, organised a Health Day. In the stadium’s Premium Lounge, guests listened to fascinating talks on the subject of cancer, featuring, amongst others, Bayer 04 record appearance holder Rüdiger Vollborn and former Werkself player Hans Sarpei. Afterwards, young and old alike enjoyed interactive stations such as a grip strength test and eye pupil test.
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In issue #56 of Werkself Magazine, Afonso Moreira offers some interesting insights into his home country, Portugal, as part of the ‘Sag mal’ (Tell me) feature. Among other things, the 21-year-old talks about his favourite places in the country on the Iberian Peninsula, the local cuisine and music, as well as heroes and historical figures beyond the world of football. ‘Sag mal’ with Afonso Moreira!
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