Rolfes‘ big day and Matthäus‘ predictions
Simon Rolfes has been sporting director at Bayer 04 for just over a year. The Werkself honorary captain today celebrates his 38th birthday. Congratulations! And we also bring you today’s news in brief.
Today’s training session at the BayArena involved four goalkeepers plus all the players who did not start at Paderborn on Sunday. The players from the starting line-up – except for keeper Lukas Hradecky and Daley Sinkgraven – completed a separate session. The left-back picked up a knock at Paderborn and was therefore given a lighter workload today. In addition to the Dutchman, Charles Aránguiz remains sidelined due to a muscle injury.
Baumi on his goal
The scorers in East Westphalia were Kevin Volland with a brace and Kai Havertz plus another Werkself player not usually associated with scoring goals: Julian Baumgartlinger. The Austrian enforcer has scored 04 goals in 203 Bundesliga games. “Over the course of my career, scoring goals has happened less and less with me playing in more defensive positions,” said the 32-year-old. “But I do get into the box from time to time for set-pieces.”
Perhaps Baumi will carry on where he left off at the Benteler Arena this Sunday night. Fortuna Düsseldorf visit the BayArena (kick-off: 18.00 CET). Leverkusen’s number 15: “The first home game after the winter break is very important to us! We’re expecting to face a very well-organised team. It’s important we continue to do the things we got right at Paderborn.”
Matthäus on the Werkself
Lothar Matthäus believes the second half of the season will see Bayern Munich win the league - and Bayer 04 will not lose a game! The 1990 World Cup winner has predicted the results of all the games in the second half of the season for the top six in the Bundesliga for the Bild Zeitung. The 58-year-old has predicted two draws for the Black and Reds against RB Leipzig and FC Bayern and a 4-2 win against Borussia Dortmund. However, according to the Matthäus rankings, the Werkself will ‘only’ finish fifth on 65 points – two points behind Borussia Mönchengladbach, the first professional club for Lothar Matthäus.
Moreover: An unbeaten run like that, which the TV pundit predicts for the Peter Bosz team, has only been achieved by four clubs in Germany’s top flight. Eintracht Frankfurt (1976/77), Hamburg SV (1982/83) and Borussia Dortmund (2011/12) have managed that feat once. FC Bayern have been unbeaten in three seasons: 1986/87, 2012/13 and 2013/14.
Away to Porto
Do you want to support the Werkself in the second leg of the Europa League Round of 32 tie in Porto? Then visit the ticket shop! The exclusive advance sale for Bayer 04 Club members started this morning. Bayer 04 fans who have previously bought tickets can buy tickets for this game from Thursday 23 February. The Werkself are away for the second leg in Portugal on Thursday 27 February (kick-off: 18.55 CET). The first leg at the BayArena is a week earlier on Thursday 20 February at 21.00 CET.
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