The summer timetable for German champions Bayer 04

The Werkself have their first open training session on 15 July, the day after returning to work, and that will be followed by the first friendly away to third-division side Rot-Weiss Essen on 26 July (kick-off at 19:00 CEST). The official Bayer 04 training camp will be held in Donaueschingen in the Black Forest from 28 July to 2 August. The team hotel is Der Öschberghof and Bayer 04 will use the training facilities of local club SV Aasen, where Premier League club Liverpool trained last year under head coach Jürgen Klopp. The Spain team are also based there this summer for the European Championship.

At the end of the training camp, the team will travel from Donaueschingen to France, for a friendly against French Ligue 1 side RC Lens on Saturday 3 August (16:00 CEST).

Four days later, the Werkself face another stern test, this time in England. The friendly at Arsenal, whose team includes ex-Bayer 04 man Kai Havertz, takes place at the Emirates Stadium in London on Wednesday 7 August (19:00 CEST, 18:00 local time).

All dates at a glance* (all times CEST):

• Sunday 14. July: Performance tests (BayArena)
• Monday 15 July: First training session - open (BayArena)
• Friday 26 July, 19:00: Friendly at Rot-Weiss Essen (Stadion an der Hafenstraße, Essen)
• Sunday 28 July - Friday 2 August: Training camp (Donaueschingen in the Black Forest)
• Saturday 3 August, 16:00: Friendly at RC Lens (Stadion Bollaert-Delelis, Lens)
• Wednesday 7 August, 19:00: Friendly at Arsenal (Emirates Stadium, London)

*Last-minute changes are possible

Further dates will be announced by Bayer 04.

SUPERCUP against STUTTGART at BAYARENA

The Werkself will play Bundesliga runners-up VfB Stuttgart in the DFL Supercup on 17 August in Leverkusen. Bayer 04 will open the 2024/25 Bundesliga season in defence of their title on Friday 23 August (opponents to be confirmed).