Back
2.01.2023Bayer 04

Preview of first week of training

Here we go again: The New Year marks the return of the football season. The Werkself and Bayer 04 Women have their first week of training in 2023 starting tomorrow Tuesday 3 January. Both teams are set to play their first friendlies at the weekend.
crop_20221211_NB_B04_Training_59226.jpg

Werkself head coach Xabi Alonso will welcome his players back to the pitch from tomorrow. The first session starts at 11.00 CET on training pitches 1 and 2 at the BayArena. The team have five training sessions this week. There are two on Wednesday at 10.30 CET on the pitch and another inside the BayArena at 14.30 CET.

On all the other days, training will start as usual at 11.00 CET. All sessions are open to fans.

Monamay trains with first team

Madi Monamay will immediately join all the Werkself training sessions. The U19 player will train with the team under head coach Xabi Alonso for the time being. The 16-year-old defender from Belgium will continue with pre-match training and matches with the Leverkusen U19s.

Schick & Co. in the Werkstatt 

Several Werkself players are already hard at work: The recently injured goalkeeper Andrey Lunev, Joshua Eze, Ayman Azhil plus today's birthday boy Timothy Fosu-Mensah are at the Werkstatt rehab and training centre at Bayer 04 on the third floor at the BayArena. Patrik Schick has already been working hard on his comeback every day in between the festive holidays. He will also be there tomorrow along with the other players.  

Saturday: friendly against venezia

The Werkself are set to play the first friendly of the year on Saturday 7 January. Venezia from Italy, including former Leverkusen player Joel Pohjanpalo, are the visitors to the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The kick-off is at 15.00 CET.

The last of four winter friendlies will be played a week later: Leverkusen entertain Danish champions FC Copenhagen at the BayArena on Sunday 15 January (kick-off: 13.00 CET).

Tickets are available for both matches. Click HERE to access the ticket shop.

crop_20221208_Training_Frauen_0414.jpg


women: Training and first friendly

The Bayer 04 Women also return on Tuesday. Head coach Robert de Pauw will lead the first session of 2023 with his players at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre.

The Leverkusen women's team also have their first friendly on Saturday 7 January. The top-flight Dutch side Fortuna Sittard are the visitors at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre. The kick-off is at 14.00 CET and entrance is free of charge.

Related News

Chinesische Delegation mit Stefan Kießling
Bayer 04 - 07.10.2026

BA04 Football Academy Guangzhou visits Leverkusen

Exciting experiences and exclusive insights into the Werkself and the BayArena awaited the young footballers from the BA04 Football Academy Guangzhou in China during their visit to the Rhineland this week. As well as taking part in a joint training session with the Bayer 04 Football Academy, the youngsters marvelled at the Bundesliga club’s stadium during a guided tour. The highlight of the visit was a private press conference with former Bayer 04 striker Stefan Kießling, during which he shared tips from his own career with the young players. On Saturday afternoon, 10 October, the group will round off their visit by supporting the Werkself in the away match in Mainz.

Show more
crop_imago1084221559h.jpg
Bayer 04 - 07.10.2026

International roundup: Quansah plays full 90 minutes again – Medina features in Messi farewell match

During the first international break of the 2026/27 season, set to last just under three weeks, nine Bayer 04 first-team players are in action with their respective national teams. Read on for updates on matches featuring Werkself players…

Show more
Juniorinnen-Talenttag am Kurtekotten
Women - 06.10.2026

‘The standard is getting higher and higher: Junior Talent Day at Kurtekotten with 90 girls

Fun, games and promising talent: At the fourth Bayer 04 Junior Girls’ Talent Day at the Kurtekotten training centre, 90 football-mad girls had the chance to put themselves forward for the Werkself youth teams. During a 90-minute training session, children born between 2011 and 2019 had the chance to demonstrate their skills.

Show more
Claudia Wenger jubelt
Women - 06.10.2026

Head-to-head battle for World Cup spot: Eight Bayer 04 women on international duty

Austria or Kosovo? Claudia Wenger or Lumbardha Misini? Only one of these two Bayer 04 women will see her dream of competing at the World Cup in Brazil (24 June to 25 July 2027) live on beyond the next two weeks. From a Leverkusen perspective, the two direct clashes between the Werkself players as they battle for a place in the second play-off round stand out during the upcoming international break. For several other players, the chance of a World Cup place is also at stake. Bayer04.de provides an overview of the women’s international call-ups.

Show more