As usual on double matchdays under Peter Bosz, the head coach will field two different teams tomorrow – that means all the Werkself players will get to play. The probable formations were evident in today’s training session. After the warm-up, the outfield players were split up and they started with a five-a-side game. Then the two keepers Lukas Hradecky and Ramazan ‘Rambo’ Özcan were introduced and it then moved on to eleven-a-side. The head coach on the touchline demanded “good passes” and “passing accuracy” – and he wants to see that tomorrow on the double matchday that will be broadcast live on bayer04.de, Facebook and YouTube.
Bayer 04 sporting director Simon Rolfes has clear expectations of tomorrow’s friendlies: “In terms of performance and workload, I expect us to play well tomorrow. It’s important for us to be ready for the Bundesliga restart.” He has been impressed by the training camp in La Manga so far. “The players are very focused and committed. There’s a good spirit in the squad,” he said in an exclusive interview with Bayer 04 TV.
Reinforcements have arrived today from Leverkusen for the games against Utrecht and St. Gallen. The two U19 youngsters Fabian Rüth and Leon Gaedicke flew out to Spain. The two completed individual training sessions. They can hope to get time on the pitch with the senior players tomorrow but will start on the bench.
To help communication on and off the pitch, the players from abroad regularly have German lessons with Carlos Sobarzo, head of integration for the Bayer 04 first team, as was the case this morning. While new signing Exequiel Palacios is starting with the basics, it’s all running smoothly for Moussa Diaby. “He’s making good progress,” reported Sobarzo, who used to have a language school. The lessons cover football vocabulary plus words and sentences useful for conversation on a daily basis.
Due to the last-minute postponement of the Bundesliga match between Hamburg and the Werkself on Tuesday, 13 January, Bayer 04 will reimburse the ticket price to all 3,500 fans who had already travelled to Hamburg as a sign of appreciation. The tickets remain valid for the rescheduled match (date not yet set).
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without centre-back Edmond Tapsoba in the coming weeks. The Burkina Faso international returned to the Werkself from the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco with a muscle injury.
Show more
The Bundesliga fixture between Hamburger SV and Bayer 04 Leverkusen has been postponed at short notice.
Show more
Bayer 04 face Hamburger SV for the first time in almost eight years. Although the Hanseatic city team are often below par on the road, they are regularly in top form in front of their own fans. In particular, 18-year-old shooting star Luka Vuskovic is proving to be a real bonus for Merlin Polzin's team, both in attack and defence. However, that should not scare the Werkself: Not only was the last defeat against the newly promoted team 17 games ago, but Kasper Hjulmand's players are in with a chance of securing their fifth win in six games against HSV. Today’s matchday news.
Show more
Goalkeeper Matej Kovar is joining Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven from Bayer 04 Leverkusen on permanent terms.
Show more
