
While the players in the starting eleven for the home game against VfB Stuttgart began the week with a video analysis session followed by work in the gym at the BayArena, the unused players and subs were on the training ground. The fans at the open training session were only able to see Julian Brandt, Stefan Kießling, Dominik Kohr, Benny Henrichs, Vladlen Yurchenko, Marlon Frey plus the two keepers Ramazan Özcan and Niklas Lomb. Heiko Herrlich and Co. went through a number of crossing and shooting drills with their players.
Wendell worked with fitness coach Daniel Jouvin on the training ground in a one-on-one session following his ankle injury. According to the medical section, Jonathan Tah is also making progress. As with Joel Pohjanpalo (rehab training after ankle injury), the 22-year-old central defender, who suffered a muscle injury to his hip in the game against Dortmund, completed an individual session at the Werkstatt facility in the morning.
Bayer 04 supporters have another two chances to watch the Werkself train this week – on Tuesday and Wednesday (both at 10.30 CET).


Werkself TV shows highlights of the 2-0 win at Olympiacos in the first leg of the play-offs of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 league...
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The Werkself beat Olympiacos 2-0 in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League play-off first leg to claim a crucial victory in the Greek capital. After a focused first-half display with a number of presentable chances, Patrik Schick crowned a textbook counter to hand the Werkself the lead on the hour (60’). The Czech rounded off his brace when he headed in from a corner just 144 seconds later. Bayer 04 maintained their lead with aplomb to achieve a good position for the return leg in Leverkusen.
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Bayer 04 and Olympiacos had only met twice before the current UEFA Champions campaign. After the encounter on Matchday 7 of this season’s league phase, the Werkself travel to face the Greek side for the second time in just four weeks for the knockout play-off first leg. The Black and Reds were dominant for large spells in mid-January but lost 2-0 after missing a number of presentable chances. The Werkself aim to do better on Wednesday night to “seize the chance for revenge,” as managing director sport Simon Rolfes put it. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game in our matchday news.
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A bitter end to the fifth showdown of the 2025/26 VBL Club Championship as the #B04eSports team failed to take any points in the three remaining matches of the preliminary online round of the fifth and final showdown, missing out on the offline round. They can no longer take points in the overall table. Bayer 04 slipped out on the top eight, so direct participation in the final event for the German Club Championship is no longer possible, with Bayer 04 having to contest the play-offs.
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