The starting eleven fielded by Herrlich demonstrated his serious approach to the friendly against Fortuna. Nine international players and the injured Tin Jedvaj and Charles Aránguiz were missing but the Bayer 04 team was up to Bundesliga strength. Playing in swirling winds, the Werkself immediately moved the ball forward in a flowing move down the left flank and the unmarked Karim Bellarabi unleashed a shot from close range but the Fortuna keeper Tim Boss was able to turn his effort away for a corner on two minutes.
It wasn't long before the ball was in the back of the Köln net: Marlon Frey, playing at right back, hit the ball with the outside of his right foot from a diagonal position high into the far corner on nine minutes. Excellent technique and great to watch – just like the goal scored by Frey in the friendly against Bochum at the end of August. Shortly after that, the captain kept his cool in front of goal: Lars Bender doubled the lead on 15 minutes with a low shot into the net after the ball was won in a high press.
The team from Cologne looked overawed and overextended by the tough approach and fast tempo of the hosts. The 450 fans at the Haberland Stadium enjoyed a flowing performance from Bayer 04 – including a back-heel by Lucas Alario from a Leon Bailey corner. The Argentinian, who celebrates his 25th birthday on Sunday, put the ball just wide of the target on 20 minutes. The third goal came from Fortuna: Mimbala was only able to turn a whipped-in cross from Bellarabi into his own net just before the half-hour mark. André Ramalho headed the ball off the line three minutes before the break.
The hosts continued to dominate after the restart, now with Niklas Lomb in nets, and remained sharp in front of goal: Kevin Volland turned in a Wendell cross to make it 4-0 on 52 minutes. A deflected shot from Bellarabi touched the bar on 68 minutes and the Fortuna keeper kept out Bailey two minutes later. Lomb then made a great save to prevent Köln pulling a goal back on 74 minutes. Alario (81') and Vladlen Yurchenko (83') both went close to making it five following passes from substitute Stefan Kießling.
After the international break, the Werkself are back in action in the Bundesliga on Sunday 15 October at home to VfL Wolfsburg. The match at the BayArena kicks off at 15.30 CET.
Bayer 04 line-up:
Bayer 04: Özcan (Lomb 46') – Frey, S. Bender, Ramalho, Wendell – L. Bender (Yurchenko 72'), Kohr – Bellarabi, Volland (Kießling 72'), Bailey – Alario
Goals:
1-0 Frey (9'), 2-0 L. Bender (15'), 3-0 Mimbala o.g. (28'), 4-0 Volland (52')
Midfielder Ruby Grant is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and joining Portuguese runners-up Sporting CP a year before her contract expires. The 24-year-old has been at the Werkself since January 2025.
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Bayer 04 have loaned Brazilian full-back Arthur to Bundesliga side Werder Bremen for one year. Arthur Augusto de Matos Soares – the full name of the right-back – has a contract with Leverkusen until 30 June 2031. At Werder, the 23-year-old is expected to make an impact and help the long-established club further consolidate their position in the Bundesliga.
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Bayer 04 have loaned defender Jeanuel Belocian to Spanish top-flight side Racing Santander. The 21-year-old defender joins the team currently ninth in La Liga until the end of the current 2026/27 season. Belocian’s contract remains valid until 30 June 2029. Last season, the 1.86-metre-tall U21 international was loaned to VfL Wolfsburg for six months.
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He knows the dressing room, the pitch and the club. But, above all, he knows the feeling of playing for the Werkself at the BayArena: Moussa Diaby is back in Leverkusen after three years. The lightning-fast winger has signed a contract with Bayer 04 until 2031 and he will once again wear the number 19 jersey. The left-footed player previously played for the club from 2019 to 2023, having arrived in the Rhineland from his native France as a promising young talent and eventually leaving the club – having established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s best attackers – to join Aston Villa in the Premier League. Now he has returned to Bayer 04 from Al-Ittihad FC in Saudi Arabia.
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