Born and raised in the Paris suburb of Bondy, Axel Tape played for FC 93 Bobigny until the age of 12. Then in summer 2020, nearby top club Paris Saint-Germain came calling.
The technically gifted, fast and versatile Tape progressed through all the youth ranks at the current French treble winners. In the season just gone, he primarily featured for the PSG U19 side and started in every UEFA Youth League match.
The 1.80-metre-tall youngster also got his first taste of senior football in the 2024/25 campaign. Having been included in Luis Enrique's squad for the first time in November, he made his debut in the Coupe de France in January, starting in the centre of defence alongside Lucas Hernandez.
After this successful professional debut, Tape also got the chance to impress at the end of the Ligue 1 season, playing 90 minutes at centre-back in both the 2-1 defeat to Racing Strasbourg on Matchday 32 and the 4-1 win over Montpellier HSC on Matchday 33.
As well as the treble of the Champions League, league and cup for the first team, Tape also celebrated the French U19 championship at the end of the season. He and his team-mates beat FC Nantes 2-1 in the final last weekend.
Bayer 04 managing director sport Simon Rolfes considers the French U18 international "a versatile defensive player, a good footballer with pace, athleticism and a sharp reading of the game. We see great potential in Axel."
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended midfielder Noah Mbamba’s contract by twelve months and sent the Belgian U21 international on loan to France. At FC Lorient, the 21-year-old – whose contract at Leverkusen now runs to 30 June 2029 – is set to gain playing time in Ligue 1 and, through strong performances and further development, put himself in the running for a future place in the Werkself squad.
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Spurred on by a flawless hat-trick from Cornelia Kramer, the Bayer 04 women’s team won their penultimate pre-season friendly in commanding fashion. As part of the season launch, the Werkself beat Dutch top-flight side Feyenoord 7–0. In front of 3,000 spectators at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, Kramer (6’, 25’, 45’), Sofie Zdebel (47’), Maja Sternad (59'), Natasha Kowalski (83') and Vanessa Fudalla (86') scored the goals for coach Roberto Pätzold’s side.
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The Shareholders’ Committee of Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH has extended the contracts of the two managing directors, Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes, ahead of schedule. The CEO, Fernando Carro (62), will continue in his role until 30 June 2029, and managing director sport Simon Rolfes (44) will remain in post until 30 June 2031.
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There’s plenty for Bayer 04 fans to enjoy both on and off the pitch at the official 2026 season launch. In addition to the women’s team taking on Feyenoord at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium at 13:15 CEST and the men’s team facing Sevilla at the BayArena at 15:30 CEST, fans of all ages can enjoy a range of activities – and get to meet Bayer 04 players and former players in the process. The Fanwelt is also offering a special promotion: buy a new shirt and get free printing! Here’s an overview of everything you need to know about the season launch, including the live streams.
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