Not normally a start full of fun but essential for a professional training programme. The Werkself are looking to lay the foundations for the most successful possible season over the coming weeks.
In addition to internal, orthopaedic and neurological tests, the players will go through an exhausting programme on Thursday and Friday with a series of jumping ability, stamina, vision and balance tests. In spite of that, the group were in high spirits. "Of course, after six weeks on holiday you look forward to coming back here. You somehow miss the team after such a long time," said a cheerful Kevin Volland. „"You know beforehand it will be two physically demanding days but that's all part of it."
The Bender twins and Kevin Volland were followed by the goalkeepers. Rambo Özcan was joined by the two new signings Lukas Hradecky and Thorsten Kirschbaum. Shortly after that came the next newcomer to Bayer 04 in the shape of Mitchell Weiser who completed the tests along with Panos Retsos and Dominik Kohr.
The Brazilian Paulinho will join up with the squad in the middle of July after celebrating his eighteenth birthday. The two players at the World Cup, Tin Jedvaj and Julian Brandt, are expected to return at the end of the month for the training camp in Zell am See-Kaprun. Jedvaj and Croatia face Russia in the quarter-finals on Saturday while Brandt is enjoying a well-deserved break after Germany's exit from the World Cup. The same applies to Jonathan Tah, who was in the initial Germany squad for Russia, and Julian Baumgartlinger plus Aleksandar Dragovic, who were on international duty with Austria after the end of the season.
The fans will have their first chance to see their team on the training ground on Saturday. Head coach Heiko Herrlich will lead the first session of the pre-season at 11.00 CET on training pitches 1 and 2. It will be broadcast in part live on Facebook and at bayer04.de.
Then it's time to get back on the bikes on Sunday. The Werkself are going to complete a three-day ride from Bad Bertrich via Koblenz and Bonn back to Leverkusen. "I can hardly wait," said Lars Bender with a smile, "we've all been measured up so we can have as comfortable a ride as possible with the right frame and, above all, the right saddle."
Bayer 04 are away to Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb on Matchday 5 of the league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League. The game kicks off on Thursday 26 November at 18:45 CET at the Maksimir Stadium. All the information on ticket sales.
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It was a match that will live long in the memory of everyone involved: The Bayer 04 U19s celebrated their seventh win in seven matches in the DFB Youth League preliminary round – and yet it was a very special victory indeed: in the 4–3 (1–1) win at VfL Bochum 1848, no fewer than five goals came in the final quarter of an hour. As the 90th minute approached, coach Patrick Greveraars’s side found themselves behind, but then fought back in true ‘Laterkusen’ style.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04 Women's 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 7 of the 2026/27 Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga.
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