"In Patrik Schick, we have brought in an internationally known central striker who has very impressively and consistently demonstrated his qualities as a striker both in Serie A and in the Bundesliga," said Bayer 04 sporting managing director Rudi Völler about the signing. "Patrik's penetration and strength in finishing will be good for our attacking game. And he will have teammates alongside him who will be able to bring him and his strengths to the fore.”
Sporting director Simon Rolfes sees Schick as a "classic central striker – technically adept, strong in the air and with the ability to hold onto and win the ball," Rolfes said. "Patrik can also read the game and as a special sense for the right position in the box. With him in the team, we will be difficult to work out and to defend against."
For the Prague-born striker, who has scored nine goals in 22 internationals for the Czech Republic, Leverkusen are "very exciting club. I saw for myself in the games against Leipzig what a great team Bayer 04 have. They play an attacking game with aggression – those are things I like and that fit in with my idea of football," declared Schick. "Bayer 04 are a top club in the Bundesliga. And I'm very happy to be able to carry on in Germany and play for this club in Europe."
Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
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Sustainability once again had many faces at Bayer 04 in 2025: In community activity, the club supported countless regional campaigns, including the Leverkusener Tafel, the Frauenennotruf Leverkusen e.V. and the homeless aid organisation "Kältegang". But the Black and Reds have also been involved in good causes around the world - including the Young Coaches training programmes in Uganda and Ecuador plus the Genuine World Cup in the USA, where the Inclusion Werkself competed. Bayer 04 was also fully committed to the environment and underwent external and independently certification in accordance with the European environmental management standard EMAS, for example, to analyse and optimise the club’s environmental efforts. Looking back at sustainability in 2025.
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Two Saturdays, one Friday and one Sunday: The dates for the Bayer 04 Women's team games on matchdays 16 to 19 have been finalised. Three of the four matches scheduled by the German Football Association (DFB) on Tuesday will be played at home at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium.
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Bayer 04 currently have a number of promising young talents on loan to various clubs in Europe with the aim of gaining match practice and furthering their individual development. Francis Onyeka and Farid Alfa-Ruprecht, for example, play for VfL Bochum 1848, while Artem Stepanov is a striker with 1. FC Nürnberg, coached by World Cup winner Miroslav Klose. Tim Oermann is a defender in the Austrian Bundesliga at top club SK Sturm Graz and Abdoulaye Faye is playing in France for FC Lorient, promoted to Ligue 1 this season. Bayer04.de reviews the first six months for the Leverkusen players out on loan.
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