
…the unusual stadium atmosphere without fans: We had the chance to see it at other games over the weekend. It is different in front of the television compared with the stadium. But we knew more or less what to expect and were well prepared. It was unusual, it felt like you could hear every step. It reminded me of indoor football when I was a teenager.
…the continued run of six Bundesliga games without defeat: We were in an outstanding phase before the suspension of play. Of course, it did us good to be able to get straight back on track in Bremen by winning the game. Physically it was different from the time before the break. I very much felt the strain after two months without playing and without competition. In the short time we've had training together, we have been able to simulate a few things but obviously you don't have the same number of competitive situations as before. For the first game – also under the circumstances – we did well yesterday.
…the fixture list after the restart with four games in 12 days: The phase will be intensive. We'll definitely notice that. But I'm glad about it. As we have the chance of quickly getting back to our original fitness level.
…maintaining distance for goal celebrations: I don't really have to think too much about that as I don't score very often (he laughs). Everything is different at the moment. Everybody is aware of the situation and we try our best. But I can understand if one or two people embrace in spite of that. Football lives from emotions – it's always been like that and it will remain like that over the next few weeks as well.
…depth in the squad and the rule change from three to five substitutions per game and club: We've seen throughout the second half of the season that we've got a fantastic bench and a strong squad. That can pay off over the rest of the season. Everybody is prepared to use their time on the pitch and give their all. That's been our trademark before the suspension. I hope it continues to be the same for the next few weeks.
…Florian Wirtz, who is the youngest Bundesliga debutant at Bayer 04 since yesterday (17 years, 15 days): I feel like it’s is only yesterday when I was on the other side at that age (he laughs). The lads get younger and younger and are already very talented very early on. Flo showed what he could do in the first training sessions. He wasn't fazed at all in the game. A lot of people will have a lot enjoyment from him. He's quickly settled into the team. Now we'll help him take the next steps.
…Saturday's top match at Borussia Mönchengladbach: Gladbach were impressive against Frankfurt. They're very strong this season – but so are we. Two very good teams face each other. If we want to stay in the leading group then we'll have to get a result. That's our target.

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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With their wonderful goals, Martin Terrier and Florian Wirtz are up for the Bundesliga Goal of the Year 2025. Voting for fans will run exclusively via the official Bundesliga app until Sunday, 4 January.
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Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
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The ‘year after’ the most successful year in the club's history brought many changes at Bayer 04. In an exclusive double interview with bayer04.de shortly before the Christmas break, Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes spoke about building a new team capable of winning trophies, the work of coach Kasper Hjulmand, the young new signings who have quickly developed into key players, and their personal plans for the Christmas holidays. Their outlook for the coming year also shows that the potential is far from exhausted and ambitions remain high.
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Last-minute ecstasy, huge disappointment and a historic performance on the European stage - 2025 was a real emotional roller coaster, especially for the U19s. A rousing run in the knockout phase secured the team a place in the final of the German championships, where they lost by the narrowest of margins. Despite the departure of several key players, the young Werkself team quickly regained their usual strength and qualified for the knockout rounds in the UEFA Youth League for the first time at the end of the year. In 2025, youngsters Jeremiah Mensah and Montrell Culbreath made their debuts in the Bundesliga, the DFB Pokal and the UEFA Champions League. The other youth teams also contributed great performances and a number of trophies to the collective Black and Red success, while the successful Bayer 04 Future Kids project broke new ground. Read on for the 2025 review of the youth teams.
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