How important the return match at the BayArena is to Young Boys was evident on Sunday. In the league match against Servette, coach Gerardo Seoane rotated seven players from the side that faced the Werkself – and he said that was based on the return match. "We need a top performance against Leverkusen," said the coach at the post-match press conference. "For that, we need fresh legs and clear minds. That was the basic reason for who played today and who didn't." Jordan Siebatcheu, who scored two goals in the 4-3 win in the first leg, was not in the squad, "to avoid getting injured," said Seoane.
The coach was able to make the large number of changes. Bern secured a comfortable 2-0 victory. They took an early lead through an own goal by the visitors and the final scoreline was complete before half-time with a header from striker Jean-Pierre Nsame. Nsame, Bern's top goalscorer, remains suspended for the return match against the Werkself – as does central defender Mohamed Camara who was sent off in added time against Servette. That did not affect the deserved victory – and the hoped-for revenge: Young Boys suffered their only defeat of the season in the Super League in the previous match against Servette.
But now, "the focus is on Leverkusen," as striker Felix Mambimbi said straight after the game. The YB captain Fabian Lustenberger added: "We have a great chance and we want to do our best to prepare for that."
Young Boys need a draw to go through and to improve their record in Germany. The Swiss team have only won one of their eleven games there but that does include five draws. Number six would put them in the Round of 16 – and that would be the best performance in this competition at the eighth attempt. The former Hertha player Lustenberger declared: "We have the game of the year ahead of us on Thursday."
Assistant coach Remzi Kahraman is leaving the Bayer 04 Women’s team with immediate effect to take up a new challenge abroad. The club has agreed to the 31-year-old’s request to leave, although his contract was originally due to run until 2027. A decision on his successor will be announced shortly.
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At the U19 European Championship in Wales, the Germany U19 national team lost their third and final group match 4-0 to Spain. Several regulars, including Bayer 04 players Montrell Culbreath and Francis Onyeka (on loan to SV Elversberg), who had combined for four goals and assists in the two previous victories, did not feature,. Germany had already secured their place in the semi-finals with a game to spare.
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The FIFA World Cup 2026 in the USA, Canada and Mexico is underway. A total of eight Leverkusen players are taking part in the 23rd World Cup, with 48 teams in the tournament for the first time. Bayer04.de brings you all the latest from Werkself players at the World Cup.
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At the end of June, Bayer 04 became the first team in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga to begin their pre-season preparations. As well as training sessions at the Kurtekotten facility, the players under coach Roberto Pätzold completed the customary series of performance diagnostics. Werkself-TV presents exclusive insights and player interviews from the first few days after the summer break.
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