It was a day full of emotion: At the final home game of the season against SC Freiburg it was time to say farewell to Rudi Völler after 28 years at Leverkusen. We documented his last official duties as sporting managing director using numerous photographs. There was one message at all times: Thank you, Rudi.
The face of Bayer 04 takes a step back as a member of the shareholders committee and as a club ambassador but his statements will continue to carry weight in the future. For example, he writes to the Black and Red family in the current edition of the Werkself Magazine: "You will all make a contribution to everything carrying on wonderfully at Bayer 04."
He probably also included Lukas Hradecky. Our captain talks in a big interview about his passion for small talk, the value of authenticity and the hope of silverware.
"Racing through Europe," is the title of the profile of our new signing Sardar Azmoun. Reading the Werkself Magazine is recommended for anybody who might want to know why our number nine did not become a volleyball player, where his passion for horses comes from and how he got to Leverkusen from Iran via Russia.
Further highlights in the final edition of 2021/22: Looking back at the Champions League final of 2002 with Werner Wenning and Dimitar Berbatov; assistant coach Alberto Encinas introduces his "04 best" on the touchline; we look back at the #Bayer04MexicoTour and review special moments in the season for the Bundesliga Women's team, the U19 and U17 sides plus the Veterans team.
On the bottom line is the production again of 104 informative and entertaining pages in partnership with the agency Derichs & Graalmann,which are designed to shorten the wait for the new season for the Bayer 04 family.
You can look these up and many other interesting insights into the world of the Werkself now in Werkself Magazine number 36. If you would like to receive the print edition then you can become a member. Click here for membership.
You can also look through all previous Werkself Magazines since the first edition in 2015/16 at bayer04.de.
Panagiotis, known as Panos, Retsos wore the Bayer 04 jersey for three years. Including his loan spells, he was under contract with the Werkself for a total of four and a half years. "It's a very special club for me," said the 27-year-old, who returned to his boyhood club Olympiacos in 2022, in an interview with bayer04.de. The former Leverkusen man is now captain and a first choice for the Werkself's next opponents in the UEFA Champions League. Ahead of the clash on Tuesday night, 20 January (kick-off: 21:00 CET), Retsos talks about his fond memories of his time in Leverkusen and the imminent reunion with some of his former team-mates. He also talks about who brought him to Leverkusen and why he likes getting older.
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Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without goalkeeper Mark Flekken and forward Nathan Tella for the time being.
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After a week in the Algarve, the Bayer 04 Women returned home on Saturday afternoon. The Werkself had six training sessions, two friendlies and a lot of time together as a team. Roberto Pätzold's team will be back in action in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga next Friday for the start of matchday 15.
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"We didn’t make the right decision at the right moments," said captain Robert Andrich after the 1-0 defeat away to TSG Hoffenheim, where Bayer 04 endeavoured to control the game but failed to score. The Werkself also had two enforced substitutions due to injuries. Nevertheless, the coach, captain and debutant Janis Blaswich are positive about the coming weeks. The Werkself review.
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