The goalkeepers Lennart Grill and Niklas Lomb plus homegrown player Emrehan Gedikli formed the first group of three at the performance tests at the BayArena on Monday morning. Another 13 senior players plus seven youth players followed over the course of the day. There were the usual warm greetings after the summer break with everybody in a buoyant mood and full of anticipation ahead of the forthcoming tasks.
Anticipation ahead of the performance tests was kept within bounds as Dr. Malte Krüger knows from previous years. “We are aware this day is not necessarily the most popular. (He laughs) It is a real workout as the tests last longer than a normal training day,” said the head sports scientist at Bayer 04. “But the players know the importance of this day and they see we gain important knowledge that relates to their physical condition and also benefits them and their health and fitness in the pre-season.”
Dr. Krüger also explained why he believes the performance tests have to be completed before the first session on the training ground. The 39-year-old: “On the one hand, the players come here after several weeks of individual preparation, on the other we want to identify possible deficits before the dynamic sessions on the pitch instead of afterwards.”
The Werkself players went through ten different tests in succession on Monday with the whole procedure lasting three hours for each player. Nadiem Amiri and Co. spent two thirds of the time with medical checks. They are partly prescribed by the German Football League (DFL) with Bayer 04 also carrying out additional tests. The checks include organ tests, sight tests, a dental examination, an ECG plus neurological investigations.
The traditional performance tests followed. On top of that there are strength tests on hip muscles, flexibility tests and stamina diagnostic tests – the so-called spiroergometry on a treadmill. “Players are tested to the limit without pain,” said Dr. Krüger. The tempo is increased in a five-minute rhythm with some players covering a distance of more than six kilometres at a speed of 20 kmph.
To deal with the majority of the tests on one day, several external experts are involved including the German Sports University (Spoho) in Cologne, and Bayer 04 have worked with them on the performance tests for several years.
Working with the club’s sports scientists, team doctors, fitness coaches and physiotherapists, the tests can provide basic conclusions for course of the season. “The investigations we complete each year are obviously very comprehensive and involved. But we gain important knowledge that enables us to assess the players’ development, reveal deficits and do preventive work.”
A first win in the preseason: In the last friendly before the start of a two-week break in training, the Bayer 04 Women beat top-flight Dutch side Ajax 1-0. In the match played over three 30-minute thirds Vanessa Fudalla scored the goal for the Werkself. In the previous two friendlies this summer, the team led by head coach Roberto Pätzold lost 2-0 two Bundesliga rivals TSG Hoffenheim and drew 1-1 with the Dutch team PEC Zwolle.
Show moreThe current Werkself player Arthur, global star Vinícius Júnior and Brazil legend Zico – they all played for the youth teams at CR Flamengo. The U20 team at the big club from Rio de Janeiro is one of the best academies in Brazil and has produced a lot of stars as well as securing national and international trophies over the past few years. Ahead of the friendly against the Werkself today, Friday 18 July (kick-off: 14:30/19:30 CEST) bayer04.de profiles the highly successful youth team.
Show moreAlejo Sarco has joined the Werkself training camp in Brazil. The 19-year-old striker, signed from Argentinian club Vélez Sarsfield in January, talks to bayer04.de about his first six months in Germany, help from Exequiel Palacios and his targets up to the end of the year.
Show moreThe friendly against the CR Flamengo U20 team on Friday, 18 July (kick-off: 14:30/19:30 CEST) represents the sporting highlight of the current Bayer 04 Brazil Tour. Ahead of the clash at the Estádio da Gávea against the highly successful youth team, there was a media event with the two Bayer 04 managing directors Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes plus head coach Erik ten Hag. The trio talked about the forthcoming opponents, first impressions of Brazil and the reasons for holding the training camp in the land of the five-time World Cup winners. Here are the key statements.
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