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

Fernando Carro bei der EFC-Generalversammlung
Bayer 04 - 01.10.2026

Greater say, higher revenues: Carro and Rolfes at the EFC General Meeting

Whenever the leading figures in European club football come together, Bayer 04 are right in the thick of it: At the 33rd General Assembly of the European Football Clubs (EFC) in Copenhagen, Fernando Carro, CEO, and Simon Rolfes, Managing Director Sport, discussed key sporting and economic issues for the future.

Show more
Lobke Loonen und Roberto Pätzold
Women - 01.10.2026

No Pokal aftereffects: Women eye first home win against Bremen

Having progressed to the DFB Pokal Round of 16, the Bayer 04 Women do not have much time before their next Bundesliga fixture. On Friday night (18:30 CEST), coach Roberto Pätzold’s side kick off matchday six at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium against Werder Bremen – and they have a clear mission.

Show more
Rudi Vollborn
Bayer 04 - 01.10.2026

Rudi recounts…: Vollborn October highlights

Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career working as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personal Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…

Show more
Ticket-Infos für das Europa-League-Heimspiel gegen Olympique Marseille
Europa League - 30.09.2026

Tickets for the UEL home match against Marseille

Bayer 04 host top French club Marseille at the BayArena on matchday four in the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League group stage. The match kicks off on Thursday 5 November at 21:00 CET. The latest information on ticket sales.

Show more