The summer break for the Bayer 04 players lasts another three weeks and then Gerardo Seoane will hold the first training session at Bismarckstraße. Performance diagnostic checks will be carried out on 5 July with the first full training session led by the Swiss coach following the next day. The first pre-season friendly against third division SV Wehen Wiesbaden is on 14 July. Kick-off is at 17.00 CEST; the match will be played at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium (UHS) or at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre.
And now Bayer 04 can also announce two other friendly opponents. As part of the training camp in Zell am See/Kaprun (16 to 23 July), the Seoane team will play Dynamo Moscow on 18 July. The kick-off at the Alois Latini Stadium in Zell am See is at 15.00 CEST. While the Werkself have played competitive matches against the other three top clubs from Moscow (Lokomotiv, Spartak and CSKA), there are no records of a competitive game against Dynamo in the black and red statistics.
In contrast, there is a reunion with FC Utrecht on 28 July. In January 2020, the Black and Reds played the team that finished sixth in the Dutch Eredivisie last term during the winter break – that friendly ended in a 4-3 victory for the visitors from the Netherlands. The fixture at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium at the BayArena kicks off at 16.00 CEST.
Dynamo Moscow profile:
The team from the Russian capital almost qualified for Europe last season. The former club of the Germany international Kevin Kuranyi 'only' finished seventh in the Premier Liga but the team under coach Sandra Schwarz (formerly of Mainz 05) were only six points away from third place and qualification for the Europa League. In addition to the head coach, the Dynamo squad also has other familiar faces from Germany's top flight: Roman Neustädter (Schalke 04) plus Maximilian Philipp, who spent most of the last campaign on loan at VfL Wolfsburg.
A look at the statistics shows that two new signings in particular made an impression at Dynamo. The Russians Daniil Fomin and Daniil Lesovoy, signed by the capital club from league rivals FK Ufa and Arsenal Tula, have shone with involvement in number of goals for the Moscow attack. While Fomin clocked up six goals and three assists, Lesovoy contributed five goals and five assists in his first season for Dynamo.
FC Utrecht profile:
Since the founding of the club in 1970 following the merger of three sides, FC Utrecht have continually been part of the top-flight in the Netherlands. Since a mixed season in 2014/15, which ended with eleventh place in the Eredivisie, the team from the city with a population of 360,000 in the heart of the Netherlands has always finished in the top third of the table since then. Last term, the team under head coach René Hake finished in sixth place. An enormous share in that achievement was down to the attack with Sander van de Streek, Gyrano Kerk and Mimoun Mahi. The attacking trio notched up 26 goals – half of the Utrecht total of 52 in the Eredivisie season – plus 13 assists.
In addition to the stalwarts van de Streek and Kerk, head coach Hake relies on a mixed squad from a demographic perspective. From players returning to the Netherlands such as Eljero Elia (34), who played up front for Hamburg and Bremen during his career, through to the 21-year-old Moussa Sylla – who arrived from AS Monaco last season – all age groups are represented in the FCU squad.
25 June
Publication of Bundesliga fixture list
4 July
Draw for the first round proper of the DFB Cup
5 July
Pre-season starts with performance diagnostics at the BayArena
6 July
First full training session at the pitches at the BayArena
14 July
Bayer 04 v SV Wehen Wiesbaden, Kurtekotten or UHS (Kick-off: 17.00 CEST)
16-23 July
Training camp in Zell am See/Kaprun including two friendlies
18 July
Bayer 04 v Dynamo Moscow, Alois Latini Stadium in Zell am See (Kick-off: 15.00 CEST)
28 July
Bayer 04 v FC Utrecht, UHS (Kick-off: 16.00 CEST)
31 July
Friendly – Opponent and venue: tbc
6-9 August
First round proper of the DFB Cup
13-15 August
Bundesliga matchday 1
27 August
Draw for the Europa League group stage
16 September
Matchday 1 in the Europa League
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 as he worked 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 personalised 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…
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From special edition jerseys to fan banners, the home game against Mainz 05 was all about the many Bayer 04 fan clubs. Accordingly, a fitting tribute to the long-standing Werkself supporters was not to be missed during half-time in the Bundesliga match. Fernando Carro, CEO, honoured the up to 50-year anniversaries of six fan clubs in front of the coaches' benches at the BayArena.
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It is an expression of solidarity and a tribute to the unique fan culture Under the Cross: Bayer 04 Leverkusen make a special statement with the "50 Years of Fan Clubs" jersey. To mark the founding of the "First Fan Club 1976 Leverkusen", which was followed by many more over the years right up to the present day, the Bundesliga club is commemorating 50 years of passion with this new jersey. Highs and lows, successes celebrated together as well as defeats suffered are manifested in this piece of white fabric, a symbol of unwavering identification with the Werkself.
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There’s lots going on at the BayArena today. The home game against FSV Mainz 05 is all about the numerous Bayer 04 fan clubs, whose birth - the founding of the "1. Fanclub 1976 Leverkusen" - dates back 50 years. A number of fan club representatives will be involved in awards, a banner display and a half-time matchday chat, and the Werkself are set to play in a special white fan club jersey. During half-time, Leverkusen mayor Stefan Hebbel and javelin world champion Steffi Nerius will also talk about the Olympic bid involving Leverkusen. Black and Red fans are advised to get to the stadium in good time today. Matchday news.
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The Werkself host Premier League club Arsenal in the Round of 16 first leg in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign. The match at the BayArena is on 10/11 March. Read on for information on ticket sales for this fixture.
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