
In preparation for the first pre-season friendly against Wuppertaler SV on Saturday (17.00 CET, live on Bayer 04, Facebook and YouTube), head coach Peter Bosz included eight Werkself youth players - Ayman Azhil, Kevin Bukusu, Yannik Schlösser, Adrian Stanilewicz, Cem Tuna-Türkmen, Samed Onur and Marco Wolf plus keeper Marcel Lotka - in today's training session – in part because the international players are only due to return to the club on Sunday after the internationals in early June.
One international was back in Leverkusen in the middle of the week: Aleksandar Dragovic. After the minor muscle injury the 28-year-old suffered in the 4-1 win for Austria against North Macedonia, he completed an individual session with fitness coach Daniel Jouvin and physiotherapist Sven Elsinger on a neighbouring pitch.


In glorious sunshine and temperatures of around 30 degrees Celsius, the Bayer 04 Women have begun their preparations for the new season. With a relaxed first session at the Kurtekotten training centre, coach Roberto Pätzold’s team became the first Bundesliga side to resume training after a 37-day break.
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Black and Red stand out. Under the slogan ‘Diversity under the Cross’, Bayer 04 took part in Pride on the Rhine at the weekend alongside the queer fan club “Bayer 04 Junxx”. The club mascot, Brian the Lion, and several members of staff were also in attendance, championing diversity and solidarity.
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Centre-back Melissa Friedrich is set to remain at Bayer 04 for another year. The longest-serving player in the squad, who joined the club in 2016, has extended her contract to 2027.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed Portugal U21 international Afonso Moreira. The 21-year-old winger joins the club from French top-flight side Olympique Lyon on a contract to 30 June 2031. In France last year, the left-winger made 37 appearances in Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and the UEFA Europa League, scoring a total of eight goals and providing eleven assists.
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