Neither pouring rain nor soaked clothing could stop the 75-strong Bayer 04 team of sprucing up parts of the former site of the state garden show: With the support of the Friends of Neuland Park and the counselling organisation in Leverkusen, work was done in several themed gardens in terms of digging and improvement: Rolls of turf were transported, cut to shape and laid, plants supported and in places new plants put in, drainage was laid, weeds were removed, old benches dismantled and, last but not least, 80 tonnes of shells were transported and distributed along individual paths – with the help of machines but mainly through the use of shovels, wheelbarrows, rakes and countless steps.
After the morning training session, the Werkself players and coaches joined in to lend a hand to the workaholics with their improvement work.
Prior to the day, an outdoor gym had been set up in Neuland Park consisting of four pieces of fitness training equipment for the whole body and Bayer 04 Fußball GmbH has made a financial contribution. Next year, another four pieces of fitness equipment painted black and red will be installed – and preparatory work was done on the day of action in terms of laying foundations.
The Golden Boy Top 100 traditionally lists Europe’s most promising young players. In the latest update, published to mark the start of the new season, four current Werkself players – alongside loanee Francis Onyeka – feature on the list. This means Bayer 04 have the most players in contention of any Bundesliga club.
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Goalkeeper Rafaela Borggräfe will continue to play for Bayer 04 Leverkusen next season. The loan of the Germany U23 international, who joined from Liverpool in the winter, has been extended by a further year.
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The Bayer 04 delegation, led by Fernando Carro, CEO, concluded their multi-day trip to Brazil with a visit to the community-based organisation Bola Pra Frente in Rio de Janeiro – founded by former Werkself player Jorginho. During the visit, Bayer 04 committed to extending support for the Bola Pra Frente project for a further five years. In addition, Jorginho, a member of the Brazil 1994 World Cup-winning squad, was named Bayer 04’s second official club legend. With the visit to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the club has strengthened the relationships built up over the years in one of Bayer 04’s most important international markets.
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Ten years after retiring as a player, Kristina Sundov is returning to the Bayer 04 Women’s team as assistant coach. The 39-year-old former Croatia international takes over from Remzi Kahraman, who has taken up a new challenge abroad. She has been given a contract to 30 June 2028.
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The training pitches at the BayArena are already buzzing with activity again, even before training officially begins next week. On Monday morning, a small group from the Werkself first-team squad completed a session lasting around an hour. Both new and familiar faces were present.
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