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.”
The Golden Boy Top 100 traditionally lists Europe’s most promising young players. In the latest update, published to mark the start of the new season, four current Werkself players – alongside loanee Francis Onyeka – feature on the list. This means Bayer 04 have the most players in contention of any Bundesliga club.
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Goalkeeper Rafaela Borggräfe will continue to play for Bayer 04 Leverkusen next season. The loan of the Germany U23 international, who joined from Liverpool in the winter, has been extended by a further year.
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The Bayer 04 delegation, led by Fernando Carro, CEO, concluded their multi-day trip to Brazil with a visit to the community-based organisation Bola Pra Frente in Rio de Janeiro – founded by former Werkself player Jorginho. During the visit, Bayer 04 committed to extending support for the Bola Pra Frente project for a further five years. In addition, Jorginho, a member of the Brazil 1994 World Cup-winning squad, was named Bayer 04’s second official club legend. With the visit to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the club has strengthened the relationships built up over the years in one of Bayer 04’s most important international markets.
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Ten years after retiring as a player, Kristina Sundov is returning to the Bayer 04 Women’s team as assistant coach. The 39-year-old former Croatia international takes over from Remzi Kahraman, who has taken up a new challenge abroad. She has been given a contract to 30 June 2028.
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The training pitches at the BayArena are already buzzing with activity again, even before training officially begins next week. On Monday morning, a small group from the Werkself first-team squad completed a session lasting around an hour. Both new and familiar faces were present.
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