The day before the showdown in London, Roger Schmidt and his players had the chance to see the hallowed turf at close quarters in the final pre-match training session and it was in good condition.
That is not a given as the NFL footballers made a European guest appearance on Sunday night but Wembley would not be Wembley without its splendid turf. The popular legend associated with this impressive stadium also drew enthusiasm from experienced figures such as Schmidt and Chicharito. “The match is an absolute highlight,” said the head coach at the pre-match press conference: “We’ve played at the Camp Nou and the Calderon Stadium but this here is something special! But the main thing tomorrow for us is it’s a very important game.”
The situation in Group E could hardly be more exciting: Just three points separates the four teams – with each club having the chance of making the last 16 in their own hands. Proof of that balance was evident in the goalless draw at the BayArena two weeks ago. “That’s why we know how difficult it is to play against Tottenham,” said Schmidt before adding: “In the second half we showed how we could play it.”
Tah and Toprak on board
Recent injury absentees Jonathan Tah and Ömer Toprak could provide strength in defence against a positive Spurs team. Both central defenders travelled and were involved in the final pre-match training session and “we’ve got good reason to think they will be in the squad,” said Schmidt. In contrast, the captain Lars Bender is ruled out due to an injury suffered at the weekend. The hosts Tottenham also have injury problems and will probably have to make do without defensive stalwart Toby Alderweireld and star striker Harry Kane. And there is also a question mark over midfielder Erik Lamela.
Leverkusen will have the support of around 2,000 fans in London. The prospect of a large crowd at Wembley Stadium makes it worthwhile arriving early and using public transport. Werkself fans not at the game can keep up with the action in England’s capital via social networks including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. It’s worth logging on.
Whether it's sport or his private live: Captain Edmond Tapsoba tells us his top three personal favourites in twelve categories in edition #56 of the Werkself Magazine. The defender had to answer as quickly as he reacts on the pitch. 'On the Podium' with Edmond Tapsoba!
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“Year after year, this is an incredibly valuable gathering, both in terms of the content covered and the opportunity for mutual discussion,” stressed Bayer 04 goalkeeping coach David Thiel in his welcoming address at this year’s goalkeeping coaches’ meeting. This was the third time in four seasons that the event had been held at the BayArena. Organised by the German Football Association (DFB), the meeting brought together goalkeeping coaches from the Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2 and the 3rd division from the west region. For the first time this year, goalkeeping coaches from the youth performance centres (NLZ) were also present. Bayer 04 fitness coach Markus Müller provided fascinating insights into the specific fitness training carried out with the Werkself’s goalkeepers.
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A floodlit derby, two further night games and a top-of-the-table clash on a Saturday afternoon: The German Football Association (DFB) has confirmed the exact dates for four further matchdays in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga. This means all fixtures for the Bayer 04 women’s team up to the end of the year, as well as the first two in 2027, are now confirmed.
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It was another incredibly close call in the end: The second showdown in the 2026/27 VBL Club Championship saw the #B04eSports team once again narrowly miss out on a place in the top 16 of the preliminary round – and with it, a spot in the in-person knockout stage. It was a bitter blow: Marc and Sean Landwehr again fell just short, despite being level on points with their rivals. As was the case last month, their weaker record across the twelve individual matches in the six preliminary round fixtures proved decisive.
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Several Werkself players are set to represent their national teams during the final international break of 2026. Here’s an overview of who has been called up and the matches they will face in November. This article will be updated regularly.
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