Gerardo Seoane looks back at the DFB Cup tie at Lokomotive Leipzig (3-0) with the same positive attitude as he does for the past week in training. The 42-year-old: "We were very well organised and professional in the game in Leipzig. Over the past few days, we've worked intensively on the match against Union and I'm in good spirits now. In addition, There is plenty of proactive communication and the team committee is taking responsibility both on and off the pitch."
Seoane not only has a positive assessment of the football at Bayer 04. The Swiss coach further detailed his impressions of the club: "We have very great expertise in all areas beginning with the board. My direct contact is Simon Rolfes who I work very closely with – as was the case with Christoph Spycher in Bern. It was important to me to discover an environment that supports and backs me up."
Bayer 04 will have to manage without Florian Wirtz for the Bundesliga opener in the capital. The youngster is still ruled out due to injury. In contrast to the cup tie in Leipzig, Paulinho is now back on board. The striker won a gold medal at the Olympics in Japan with the Brazil team and he returned to training during the week. "Paulinho has returned with positive energy and is match fit. He's absolutely an option. Even though he has some strenuous weeks and a long journey behind him, he can help us out with his ability," said head coach Seoane.
The assertiveness and ball control of the 21-year-old could be needed against FC Union Berlin who, according to Seoane, "have established themselves in the Bundesliga the past few years with their playing and battling qualities." One of the main factors in the success of the first German participants in the Europa Conference League is head coach Urs Fischer. The 55-year-old comes from Switzerland like his opposite number at Leverkusen and he "worked very successfully in Switzerland and is now doing it again in the Bundesliga."
Seoane and the Werkself can expect an emotional and intensive first Bundesliga game in front of a good crowd.
Match information:
Broadcasters: Sky and Werkself-Radio
Referee: The match officials will be announced on the day of the game
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
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To 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.
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The Norway U23 international Julie Jorde has completed the move from Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Brøndby IF. The twelve-time champions of Denmark have signed the midfielder on permanent terms after her loan move from the Bundesliga to Denmark in the winter.
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It is almost two years since Bayer 04 new signing Abdoulaye Faye first stepped foot into the BayArena as a player for the Swedish club BK Häcken in the opening match in the 2023/24 Europa League campaign. A day before his nineteenth birthday, the central defender did not play in the 4-0 win for the Werkself but it was "an incredible night" for him on 21 September 2023 as he explained in his first interview on bayer04.de. "I watched the players and saw the fans. I liked it." It was also the first European night early on in his career. He only joined the then champions of Sweden in the cold north of Europe from his home in Senegal a few weeks before that special moment. Bayer04.de profiles our new defender.
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Welcome, Abdoulaye Faye. The 20-year-old Senegalese central defender joins Leverkusen from top-flight Swedish club BK Häcken. In his first interview he talks about his move to Bayer 04 and his targets with the Werkself.
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