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17.09.2018Bayer 04

Werkself prepare for Europa League opener

After 554 days away from the European stage, the Werkself are back in Europe on Thursday (21.00 CET). Bayer 04 travel to Bulgaria to face Ludogorets Rasgrad for the first group match in the Europa League . The Bayer 04 squad fly out to the Black Sea on Wednesday morning. Heiko Herrlich led the first of six training sessions of the week on Monday afternoon in the run-up to the Europa League opener and Sunday's Bundesliga game against Mainz 05.
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Following the debrief after the Bayern Munich game Tin Jedvaj, Aleksandar Dragovic and Co. headed for the training ground at the BayArena in temperatures of around 30 degrees. 17 outfield players and four goalkeepers  were available at the start of the week as was the Europa League match ball the Werkself will be playing with for the first time this season.

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The coaching staff organised football tennis matches and shooting practice to familiarize the players with the new white and orange ball. The players who completed the full 90 minutes against Bayern ended the training session half an hour earlier. 

question mark over Lars Bender

In addition to the four injured players Julian Baumgartlinger, Joel Pojanpalo, Panos Retsos (all in rehab) and Charles Aranguiz (knee), Lars Bender also missed the training session. The Werkself skipper was kicked on the calf in the fourth minute of the match against the champions of Germany and he had to go off 20 minutes later. "Lars is still injured. It's possible he may not be fit for Thursday," said Herrlich after the training session.

The Werkself train in Leverkusen again on Tuesday (closed session) and will have the final pre-match workout at the Ludogorets Arena on Wednesday.

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