
Ann-Kathrin Vinken joined Bayer 04 for the 2018/19 season and went on to make 49 appearances for the Leverkusen Women’s team. Since the end of last season, after Vinken played 13 times, the 21-year-old has been struggling with a torn ankle ligament and will probably join the Women’s pre-season later on. “I’m very happy to be able to take the next steps with the team. We showed what we can do last season. The challenge now is to do that again in the coming season,” said Vinken.
Joyce Prabel said, “thanks to our great team and lots of passion in training last season, I have been able develop and extend my skills.” The 18-year-old made the step-up to the Bayer 04 Women’s team from the club’s U17s. The talented keeper is on course to start her eighth season at Leverkusen.
The Werkself are parting company with goalkeeper Anna Wellmann at the end of her contract. The 26-year-old, who joined the Bayer 04 Women from the Bayern Munich Reserves in the winter of the 2018/19 season, has opted to take the next step in her career by joining league rivals Turbine Potsdam.
“We thank Anna for her absolute commitment to Bayer 04 Leverkusen over the last two and a half years,” said Linda Schöttler, general manager of women’s football at Bayer 04. “We can fully understand her desire to take on a new challenge and get more time on the pitch and we want to support that. We wish Anna all the best from both sporting and personal perspectives.”

Exciting experiences and exclusive insights into the Werkself and the BayArena awaited the young footballers from the BA04 Football Academy Guangzhou in China during their visit to the Rhineland this week. As well as taking part in a joint training session with the Bayer 04 Football Academy, the youngsters marvelled at the Bundesliga club’s stadium during a guided tour. The highlight of the visit was a private press conference with former Bayer 04 striker Stefan Kießling, during which he shared tips from his own career with the young players. On Saturday afternoon, 10 October, the group will round off their visit by supporting the Werkself in the away match in Mainz.
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Fun, games and promising talent: At the fourth Bayer 04 Junior Girls’ Talent Day at the Kurtekotten training centre, 90 football-mad girls had the chance to put themselves forward for the Werkself youth teams. During a 90-minute training session, children born between 2011 and 2019 had the chance to demonstrate their skills.
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Despite the international break, numerous Werkself fans turned up at the BayArena on Saturday 3 October. The occasion: Bayer 04, together with Bayer Vital and main sponsor BarmeniaGothaer, organised a Health Day. In the stadium’s Premium Lounge, guests listened to fascinating talks on the subject of cancer, featuring, amongst others, Bayer 04 record appearance holder Rüdiger Vollborn and former Werkself player Hans Sarpei. Afterwards, young and old alike enjoyed interactive stations such as a grip strength test and eye pupil test.
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In issue #56 of Werkself Magazine, Afonso Moreira offers some interesting insights into his home country, Portugal, as part of the ‘Sag mal’ (Tell me) feature. Among other things, the 21-year-old talks about his favourite places in the country on the Iberian Peninsula, the local cuisine and music, as well as heroes and historical figures beyond the world of football. ‘Sag mal’ with Afonso Moreira!
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