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.
Edmond Tapsoba is one of the pillars of the Bayer 04 team. The defender is now in his seventh season with the Werkself and taking on a new role as a leader on and off the pitch. Talking to Werkself Magazine, the 26-year-old Burkina Faso international explains the increased demands placed on his position within the team, his role as a “big brother” and why the squad’s overhaul is an opportunity for him and the team.
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The Werkself have completed an intensive preseason and made a successful start to the 2025/26 campaign in the DFB Pokal as the new Bundesliga season finally starts this week. And, as in the cup tie in Großaspach (4-0), head coach Erik ten Hag's team can continue to look forward to strong support from the Bayer 04 fans at the BayArena. There is continuing high demand for tickets both for match tickets and season cards. And other stats from the past weeks and months show: the fans are up for Bayer 04!
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed the French central defender Loïc Badé. The France international joins the Werkself from top-flight Spanish club FC Sevilla. Badé has signed a contract at Leverkusen to 30 June 2030. The 25-year-old will wear the number 5 jersey in the team led by head coach Erik ten Hag.
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Bienvenue à Leverkusen, Loïc Badé! Bayer 04 have signed the 25-year-old defender from FC Sevilla. The France international has signed a contract at Leverkusen to 2030 and he will wear the number 5 jersey. Bayer04.de profiles the 1.91 metre new signing who has experience in England and France as well as Spain.
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