Rudi Völler presented the shirt sent by the PZPN for the versatile midfielder with Stanilewicz and number 18 on the back. "It's always special being called up for a World Cup. And as a club, we are obviously happy that our training and education has play a part in that. But it's mainly Adrian who's earned it through his continually impressive performances this season, above all with the U19 side," said the Bayer 04 managing director sport.
In the season just gone, Stanilewicz played in all 26 games for the Bayer 04 U19s in the U19 Bundesliga and he scored three goals. At the end of December, the left footer made his debut for the first team in the Europa League game at AEK Larnaca (5-1).
At the U 20 World Cup he will be with the Poland squad coached by Jacek Magiera in the group stage in Lodz for the games against Colombia (23 May, 20.30 CET), Tahiti (26 May, 20.30 CET) and Senegal (29 May, 20.30 CET).
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
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Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
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Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
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Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
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