13.03.2026Fans

'Rudi invites you': Successful premiere with Castro and Kießling

High spirits and previously untold stories: Around 100 Bayer 04 fans packed the Schwadbud fan pub in the east stand of the BayArena on Thursday evening to be there in person for the first instalment of the new series of events entitled “Rudi lädt ein” (Rudi invites you). They listened intently as long-serving Werkself players Gonzalo Castro and Stefan Kießling chatted with record appearance-maker Rüdiger Vollborn and presenter and stadium announcer Tobias Ufer about their many years together at the club, shared amusing anecdotes and revealed dressing room secrets. Anyone who missed the premiere can already look forward to the second instalment – on 12 May, Rudi will be testing the expert knowledge of Bayer 04 fans during a quiz night.

Tobias Ufer, Gonzalo Castro, Stefan Kießling and Rüdiger Vollborn

There was plenty of laughter at this first edition of “Rudi invites you” at the Schwadbud. No wonder, as the wide variety of stories that club representative Stefan Kießling and former Werkself player Gonzalo Castro regaled the guests with were as thrilling as they were amusing. “Kies” described the emotional end to his career from a first-hand perspective and, shortly afterwards, had the room in stitches again with his recollections of his 'phantom goal' from October 2013 against TSG Hoffenheim, when he headed the ball past the post and it slipped through a hole in the side netting and was given as a goal.

The Bayer 04 fans listened intently as the pair spoke with host Rüdiger Vollborn and presenter Tobias Ufer about secrets that had not yet been made public. “You have to be there to experience it,” Vollborn summed up afterwards – and fans of the Werkself will soon have the chance to do just that!

Next event: Quiz night on 12 May

True Werkself experts have something to look forward to with the next edition of “Rudi invites you”. On Tuesday 12 May, Rüdiger Vollborn will be hosting a black and red quiz night with Alexander Palitza, a local quiz host. Fans can register either in teams of four or individually and look forward to all sorts of exciting questions about Bayer 04. More detailed information about the quiz night and registration will be published in good time via the club’s own channels. Anyone interested can become a member HERE right now and benefit from priority booking!

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