Paulinho was on the training ground long before his team-mates in wonderful spring weather conditions. After Kevin Volland, Karim Bellarabi and Co. arrived and had completed the warm-up routine, there was more intensive work with the ball. After just more than an hour, Bosz let the U19 youngsters Herdi Bukusu, Ömer Tokac, Ayman Azhil, Marc Lamti, keeper Marcel Lotka plus U17 player Yannick Schlösser go and he concentrated on working on moves with his players with breaks from time to time to explain tactics.
Dominik Kohr spent the final session working one-on-one on a neighbouring pitch with assistant coach Xaver Zembrod and Sven Bender did not complete the training session either but instead returned to the dressing room a few minutes early. Joel Pohjanpalo, who returned to full training for the first time this week, carried on to the end. The Finn certainly did not take it easy in the session – the 24-year-old clearly enjoyed every challenge.
Panos Retsos, who returned to full training last week, is ready to play in tomorrow's friendly against Ajax if required: "It will be a while before I'm fully fit again but I'm back in full training and perhaps I can play tomorrow." The Greece international has been out injured for a long time but he is now on his way back again – not least thanks to the support of his team-mates over recent months: "It's been a difficult year for me. The team have got behind me and really helped. That was important for me – particularly in getting my head straight."
The Werkself will be able to take a short break after tomorrow's friendly with no more full training sessions before Saturday. The next open session is on Sunday at 10.30 CET.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen will begin their 2025-26 preseason campaign with an exciting friendly against Flamengo U20, one of South America’s elite youth sides, on Thursday, 18 July at 15:00 local time (20:00 CEST). The game will be played at historic Estádio da Gávea in Rio de Janeiro.
Show moreThe match details for the Bayer 04 first round tie in the 2025/26 DFB Pokal campaign have been confirmed. The Werkself are away to SG Sonnenhof Großaspach on Friday, 15 August with the kick-off at 18:00 CEST. That was announced by the German Football Association (DFB) today. The DFB Pokal tie against the state cup winners from Baden-Württemberg will be played at the WIRmachenDRUCK Arena. Ticket information to follow.
Show moreThe German Football Association (DFB) has given Bayer 04 the Pitch of the Year award in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga for the 2024/25 season and thereby for the sixth time in succession. The Ulrich Haberland Stadium was once again named the best pitch in the Women's Bundesliga last season.
Show moreTo all Bayer 04 fans: The Fanwelt will be closed all day next Monday 30 June. This is due to preparations for the change of kit supplier from Castore to New Balance on Tuesday 1 July.
Show moreA high quality test for the Bayer 04 Women: The team led by coach Roberto Pätzold will play Women’s Bundesliga runners-up VfL Wolfsburg during the training camp in Rieden in Bavaria.
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