Werkself trio sidelined
Head coach Peter Bosz will have to manage without three players in the final phase of the pre-season. Joel Pohjanpalo, Mitchell Weiser and Lars Bender will be unavailable for different lengths of time.
A minor setback for Joel Pohjanpalo: The Finnish striker is sidelined for a couple of weeks due to a reaction in his right ankle. In the friendly against SD Eibar at the training camp in Zell am See, Pohjanpalo went off injured after a challenge and he was unable to take part in full training. As the situation has not improved in recent days, in spite of a break, the medical department at Bayer 04 have agreed in discussion with the player and the club to take him out of training the moment.
Mitchell Weiser also faces complete rest. The right back was kicked in the friendly against Heracles Almelo last Sunday and he was substituted on 24 minutes. A check-up revealed painful bruising on the sole of his foot and his metatarsal. The 25-year-old has to wear a special boot for a couple of days and will then take up a one-to-one training programme.
Lars Bender faces a shorter time on the sidelines. The Werkself captain suffered a slight strain in his right thigh in last Sunday's friendly against Vitesse Arnhem (28 July). He played to the end of the half but was replaced at the break by Cem Türkmen. The 30-year-old will be training on his own for a week or so.
Related News
Bayer 04 - 13.01.2026
Tapsoba sidelined by muscle injury
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
Bundesliga - 13.01.2026
Matchday news #HSVB04: Positive record against strong at home HSV
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
Bundesliga - 13.01.2026
Our next opponents: A youngster inspires as defender and goalscorer at HSV
Hamburger SV and Bayer 04 meet again in the Bundesliga for the first time in almost eight years. This Tuesday evening, 13 January (kick-off: 20:30 CET), the promoted team with impressive home form welcome the Werkself to the Volksparkstadion to round off the Hinrunde. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show more
Werkself-TV - 12.01.2026
Hjulmand ahead of #HSVB04: ‘Don't panic, stay calm and optimistic’
The Werkself are away to Hamburg SV at the end of the Hinrunde in the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign. The match at the newly promoted club is on Tuesday night, 13 January (kick-off: 20:30 CET). Ahead of the first encounter with HSV since 2018, Kasper Hjulmand spoke about the strengths of the opponents, lessons learnt from the home defeat against VfB Stuttgart and provided a squad update.
Show more
