
Peter Bosz and his fellow coaches certainly put the players through their paces – four days before the home game against the relegation – threatened Franconians there was a highly intensive session on the agenda. Split into teams of three, there were plenty of high tempo encounters with lots of shots on goal on small sized pitches. The Werkself were certainly warmed up with outdoor temperatures of 15 degrees.
On Tuesday, Kevin Volland and Lars Bender joined the training group later that also included three U19 players Adrian Stanilewicz, Herdi Bukusu and Marc Lamti. The duo started with an individual session on the ball on the neighbouring pitch before they rejoined their teammates for the last part of the session. Leon Bailey worked in the gym at the BayArena to lighten his workload. Isaac Kiese Thelin did not make the session. The Sweden striker complained of muscle problems in his calf and therefore missed out on the morning workout.
While the action was on the training ground in the morning, it moved inside in the early afternoon. As part of the Bayer 04 Soccer School Easter camp there was a player visit and a tour of the stadium. After lunch, Panos Retsos was in the media centre at the BayArena where he completed a Q & A session with the kids. In a somewhat unorthodox interview, the 20-year-old revealed his favourite club, spoke about his favourite book and with which players in the squad he spends most of his free time with. At the end, the Werkself number three signed autographs and had selfies taken with the camp participants. To the great surprise for a section of the kids on the stadium tour, they bumped into Wendell, Karim Bellarabi and head coach Peter Bosz in the Mixed Zone. All three were happy to mix with the fans and meet their desire for selfies. Up to Thursday, over 100 young female and male players will complete different technical and tactical training sessions at the Soccer Centor Leverkusen (for those born from 2010 to 2012) and at Kurtekotten (2005 to 2009). The club has also organised a four-day camp for the second week of the holidays.








The Bayer 04 U19s have a competitive match tonight. At 19.00 CET the team coached by Markus von Ahlen face Bonner SC in Bonn (Sportpark Nord, artificial pitch on Josefshöhe) in the quarter-finals of the Association Cup against the team from a tier below, currently lying seventh in the Middle Rhine League. After a disappointing 2-2 draw against relegation-threatened SC Paderborn in the U19 Bundesliga on Saturday, the Bayer 04 Youth team are now determined to do all they can to reach the semi-finals. Markus von Ahlen is unable to call on the young pro Jan Boller as he has been away in Lower Saxony since Sunday for a session with the Germany U19s in Barsinghausen.


The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
Show more
After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
Show more
When Exequiel Palacios moved from the Argentinian club River Plate to Bayer Leverkusen on 1 January 2020, the then 21-year-old could not have imagined just how successful the next six and a half years would be for him. Pala, as he is known, had already won the Copa Libertadores – the most prestigious competition in South American club football – with River Plate. But there were still so many more trophies to come.
Show more
To mark Exequiel Palacios’s departure, we’ve put together a compilation of the midfielder’s finest and most important goals from his six-and-a-half years at the club.
Show more