
A reception at the German – Brazilian Chamber of Foreign Trade in the city centre of São Paulo was the first event of the day. Different members of the German – Brazilian business community attended to hear one or two anecdotes from the historic double winning season of 2023/24 first hand from Simon Rolfes, sporting managing director at Bayer 04, and Kim Falkenberg, head of recruitment at Bayer 04. The event was hosted by Katharina Gerlitz, coordinator for market entry and business development at the foreign trade chamber.






That was followed by a very special visit: Bayer 04, in partnership with the Plastiks company, opened a new green mining recycling station in São Paulo. Bayer 04 legend Paulo Sergio made the one-hour journey to Embu das Artes, a municipality to the south of São Paulo, to experience first-hand how the waste collection point works. On site he spoke in depth to young people about the subject of sustainability.
The visit to the recycling plant was the official launch of a joint project. Plastiks is a sustainable organisation that is committed worldwide to the reuse of waste and against waste pollution. As part of this cooperation, Bayer 04 is working with the green mining organisation in São Paulo, the most populous city in South America and hometown to club legend Sergio, where the waste recycling rate is currently only around 3%. You can find out more HERE.





Rolfes and Falkenberg had a little time for a sightseeing tour through the city – with the walk including São Paulo's famous area of Beco de Batman (Batman Alley), which is primarily known for its artistic wall paintings. A must during the walk: The Meisterschale.
Holger Tromp, communications director at Bayer 04, summed up the eventful day as follows: "Today was a great opportunity for us to make contact with a large number of the members of the community of São Paulo – whether that was the business people from the foreign trade chamber, with employees at the green mining station or simply with football fans everywhere here during our events." Tromp added: "This link should be durable to further strengthen our link to the Brazilian market and the country over the long term."





The third day in the melting pot of Brazil starts with a number of media events followed by a visit to a school. The day will be rounded off with a premiere of the Bayer 04 documentary 'A Dream Comes True' that is being broadcast in Brazil for the first time in the evening in cooperation with TV Globo to over 1,000 people at the Goethe Institute.

Bayer 04 have ended Artem Stepanov’s loan deal at Nürnberg and agreed a new loan to Utrecht in the Netherlands. The Ukrainian striker did not play as much as hoped for at the Bundesliga 2 club and will now continue his development in the Eredivisie for the rest of 2025/26.
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Following on from the emotional last-minute win at Union Berlin, the Bayer 04 Women now face a promoted team: On Saturday, 31 January (12:00 CET), coach Roberto Pätzold's team welcome FC Nürnberg to the Ulrich Haberland Stadium for their first home game of the new year. In their second season in the Bundesliga, the Franconians have impressed with 16 points from the first 15 games.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with Germany U19 international Montrell Culbreath. The attacking midfielder and right winger has penned a deal with the Bundesliga club that runs to 30 June 2030. Culbreath has played for the Werkself as a youth player since 2023. Last December, he scored his first Bundesliga goal for the Leverkusen first team in the Bayer 04 3-1 away win at RB Leipzig.
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The Werkself's 3-0 victory over Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League certainly left many happy faces: Malik Tillman was delighted with his brace, Robert Andrich with the clean sheet and coach Kasper Hjulmand with the "manner" of this significant home win. With an overwhelming superiority and over 75 per cent possession at times, Bayer 04 deserved their place in the UCL play-off round. They will face a familiar foe in February. The Werkself review.
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