Speaking at the press conference ahead of the Freiburg game, Heiko Herrlich shared his views on…
…possible absentees against SC Freiburg: "The players came through yesterday's game against Larnaca fit and well. As it stands today, everybody's available for Sunday (apart from long-term injuries Charles Aranguiz, Julian Baumgartlinger, Panagiotis Retsos and Joel Pohjanpalo, ed.)."
… the expected tactical approach from SC Freiburg: "They've played with three different systems this season – and they'll definitely use one of them on Sunday. I can well imagine they will want to play against us like they did at home to Schalke 04 (1-0; matchday 5, ed.) .“
…the last meeting in the Breisgau: "I'm expecting a similarly tough game as last season (0-0, ed.). SC Freiburg play a pressing game and there's a method to it – they have an absolutely passionate coach in Christian Streich and they play like that too. I'm an absolute fan of his."
…a solid defence: "In every game, we aim to defend as well as we can and keep a clean sheet. Not letting in goals is a positive sign – especially for the defence which involves, and places demands on, all the players. We didn't manage it against Larnaca yesterday but we're travelling to Freiburg with the intention of keeping a clean sheet there."
…the number of goals conceded this season: "The goals we've let in this season were mostly due to individual errors in the build-up to them. For example, if you look at the two goals we let in yesterday, the first came from a set-piece that we should have defended better – the ball was passed on and we were just too late getting to it and then the goal's conceded. The goal to make it 3-2 was simply due to a communication error between Tin Jedvaj and Mitchell Weiser and it shouldn't have happened. We definitely need to improve here and there."
…the return of Panagiotis Retsos: "We hope he can return to full training during the international break – and the same goes for Julian Baumgartlinger and Charles Aránguiz. The plan is to bring them back one-by-one but it obviously depends on whether they come through their individual training sessions."
Around 750 Leverkusen fans are expected to be at the Schwarzwald Stadium on Sunday to support the Werkself at Freiburg.
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…
Show more
"In every ending lies a new beginning" is a well-known saying. This phrase has probably never been more apt at Bayer 04. After winning the Bundesliga in 2023/24 and finishing as runners-up in 2024/25, the summer was the most eventful ever in terms of transfers. Over ten players and the coach, including the coaching staff, left the club. A lot of the heroes of the double-winning side began a new chapter. It was the end of an era. And at the same time the beginning of a new, very exciting and promising chapter for Leverkusen. The Werkself welcomed more than a dozen new arrivals, including experienced title-winners and young talents, to build a new "foundation for a successful team capable of winning titles" under the Bayer Cross, as managing director sport Simon Rolfes put it. A new spirit, a new hunger, a new story was to be created. Bayer04.de looks back at the first few months of this story and the final act of the preseason.
Show more
43 points at the end of the last Bundesliga season were not only more than ever before for the Bayer 04 Women, but also led to a record fourth-place finish. That was followed by a Hinrunde with many more victories, but also some setbacks. In an interview with bayer04.de, sporting director Achim Feifel takes stock at the end of the year.
Show more
With their wonderful goals, Martin Terrier and Florian Wirtz are up for the Bundesliga Goal of the Year 2025. Voting for fans will run exclusively via the official Bundesliga app until Sunday, 4 January.
Show more
A record-breaking year ends for the Bayer 04 Women. Fourth place, 13 wins and 43 points in the 2024/25 campaign - the Werkself have never been so good in the Bundesliga. Coach Roberto Pätzold's team also had plenty of reasons to celebrate in the first half of the new Bundesliga season - although there were also a few disappointments. A look back at 2025 for the Bayer 04 Women’s team.
Show more
