Panos, which 04 places do you definitely have to visit in Greece?
Retsos: Of course, there's Athens and Thessaloniki, the second biggest city in the country. Then there's definitely Crete and the Peloponnese, the peninsula in the south of the mainland.
What do you think is typically Greek?
Retsos: Eating together with the extended family with nanna, grandad, uncles, cousins and so on. The Greeks make a lot of time for that.
Where did you grow up?
Retsos: I was born in Johannesburg in South Africa but moved to Greece at the age of two and I grew up near Athens, to be more exact in Agios Dimitrios, a place south of Athens.
Who do you think is the greatest Greek ever?
Retsos: Aristotle, for me our greatest philosopher.
Your favourite Greek dish?
Retsos: Pastitsio, our type of pasta bake. It tastes better than Italian lasagne...
What don't you like so much about your fellow countrymen?
Retsos: Well, sometimes we are rather disorganised. In Germany nearly every family has an itinerary for the whole week – I like that. It's completely different in Greece. We don't look so far ahead and live life more day by day.
Your secret tip for tourists?
Retsos: I'll have to pass on that one. But although people might groan: You have to see the Acropolis! That's definitely not a secret tip but it's an incredibly impressive structure.
What smell do you associate with Greece?
Retsos: The sea air I breathe when I drive on a coast road with the window open.
Your favourite football club in Greece?
Retsos: Olympiacos, my hometown club.
The German Football Association (DFB) has officially recognised Bayer 04 as a centre for the development of female talent for the 2026/27 season. The club was awarded that role on 1 January 2026, and this status has now been renewed.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have sold young defender Andrea Natali to AZ Alkmaar on permanent terms. The 18-year-old Italian was on loan at the Dutch club last season, where he mainly played for the reserve team in the second division.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have loaned new signing Luca Erlein to newly promoted FC Energie Cottbus for the 2026/27 season. This will give him the opportunity to play in Bundesliga 2. The club signed the 19-year-old right-back on a permanent basis last week, on a contract to 30 June 2030.
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Werkself TV shows the highlights of the 3-1 victory in the friendly match at Kickers Offenbach...
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It’s always nice having your best friends round for a birthday! Bayer 04 made a guest appearance at Stadion am Bieberer Berg as part of Offenbacher Kickers’ 125th anniversary celebrations, and nearly 1,500 Werkself supporters accepted the invitation to this historic venue, joining the Offenbach crowd in celebrating the more than 45-year friendship between the clubs. On the pitch, the Werkself secured a 3–1 victory in the friendly against the fourth-tier Regionalliga side. The Leverkusen goals were scored by Christian Kofane (38’), Jonas Hofmann (48’) and Afonso Moreira (81’). Keanu Staude had put the hosts ahead in the first half (11’).
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