The weather could hardly have been better with bright sunshine and temperatures over 20 degrees as the teams kicked off the first Ulrich Haberland Cup since 2019 on the morning of Saturday, 2 July. There were 20 teams competing at the traditional tournament, which was launched in 2009, including Bayer 04 fan clubs, a team consisting of employees and even a fan club from Kickers Offenbach, who arrived with over 40 people, and one from Karlsruher SC.
Werkself players Andrich and Lomb also mingled with the numerous attendees at the Kurt-Rieß-Anlage. The pair visited the fans with head coach Gerardo Seoane after the morning session, watched a few games and also took plenty of time for photos with supporters.
At the end of a successful tournament and day for the whole family, with the only downer being two serious injuries, the Grafen von Berg fan club was crowned the winners.
The Ulrich Haberland Cup traditionally isn’t just about the fun of playing but also about good causes. Proceeds this year from the catering, which the NK12 organised together with ASB [Workers' Samaritan Foundation] Regionalverband Vest Recklinghausen, will go to the children’s palliative care unit at Leverkusen Hospital.
Bundesliga champions Bayer 04 have also dominated the division’s Team of the Season after football fans around the world named Jonathan Tah, Alejandro Grimaldo, Jeremie Frimpong, Granit Xhaka, Florian Wirtz and Victor Boniface in the Bundesliga’s best XI for 2023/24, in cooperation with EA Sports.
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Show moreOnly a few hours after the Werkself’s 2-0 win away at Roma in the UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg, attentions turned to the next game as Bayer 04 visit Eintracht Frankfurt for Bundesliga Matchday 32 on Sunday (kick-off: 5.30pm CEST). Speaking at his press conference in Rome shortly before returning to Leverkusen on Friday morning, head coach Xabi Alonso talked about the strengths of six-placed Frankfurt and how the team will handle his touchline suspension.
Show moreWerkself TV brings you the highlights of Bayer 04's 2-0 victory at AS Roma in the first leg of the semi-finals in the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League campaign...
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