
The match was the first test after the initial two weeks of training for the Werkself Women following the winter break. The Leverkusen Women’s team were unable to really deal with the opposition in the first half. The team also initially failed in build-up play and the first 45 minutes were marked by Bayer 04 often losing possession. That enabled Werder Bremen to take the lead through Reena Wichmann on 25 minutes. Dora Zeller levelled before half-time with an impressive volley on 42 minutes.
Feifel rang the changes for the start of the second half with Lilla Turanyi being the only player to go the full distance. The second eleven were more successful: greater control of the game, constructive build-up play, compact in defence and more confident on the ball. Kristin Kögel turned the game round with the goal to make it 2-1 on 48 minutes. Bremen – with few chances in the second 45 minutes – did succeed in levelling the scores through Agata Tarczynska (61’) but Kögel hit back five minutes later with the winner.
Achim Feifel: “The first half was very disjointed and I was happier with the second 45. It’s still not how we as we imagined before the start of the season. But it was a good friendly overall.”
First half line-up: Klink – Matysik, Machtens, Rackow, Zeller, Reger, Brüggemann, Turanyi, Csiszar, Garofalo, Marti
Second half: Wellmann – Sahlmann, Kempe, Finken, Kögel, Wirtz, Bücher, Zdebel, Turanyi, Nikolic, Wieder
The friendly came at the end of an intensive week of training in place of the cancelled training camp on Gran Canaria. “They were good and strenuous days of training. We had lots of tough sessions and the intensity this week was equivalent to a training camp,” said Feifel. The focus was on fitness work. The players faced sessions that tested their stamina.
Fun was also on the agenda this week: Team building activities for the Werkself Women – with team meetings taking account of coronavirus restrictions – in groups of five or six taking each other on in quizzes and other games. For example, that meant maintaining certain yoga positions longer or gargled songs being recognised quicker by teammates.
The next friendly is on Sunday 31 January: Second division team Borussia Bocholt from the northern section of Bundesliga 2 are the visitors to Kurtekotten (14.00 CET). The last time the two clubs met was in the pre-season in 2019 – the match ended in 6-0 win for Bayer 04 against the then Regional League side.
“I’m happy we’ve got another friendly ahead of the league restart (on 7 February, 14.00 CET at TSG Hoffenheim, ed.). That will give us another competitive situation where we can try out a few things. This week we will work on technique and tactics and then we can put that into practice,” said Feifel looking forward.

The Werkself need a win in their penultimate match of the season at RB Leipzig on Monday evening (18:00 CEST) to keep their hopes of third place alive until the final day. After Eintracht Frankfurt lost on Saturday, Roberto Pätzold's side can close the gap on their rivals to two points and leave it all to play for next Sunday.
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Werkself TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 1-3 loss at VfB Stuttgart on Matchday 33 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season...
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Down to fifth from fourth place despite taking an early lead: in the head-to-head for a Champions League spot, Bayer 04 were 1-0 up at VfB Stuttgart with just a minute played thanks to an Aleix Garcia strike, but ultimately lost 3-1 (2-1) to the more determined hosts. It meant the Swabians leapfrogged the Werkself in the Bundesliga table on the penultimate matchday.
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Today sees Bayer 04 go head-to-head with their next direct rivals in the race for Champions League qualification (kick-off 15:30 CEST). Opponents Stuttgart are currently fifth in the table, level on points with the Werkself but one place below them due to a three-goal inferior goal difference. The Black and Reds' record at Bad Cannstatt tells a clearer story: they've not lost at VfB for over 16 years. One important factor in securing what would be three crucial points away from home is Leverkusen's strength on the counter-attack. Whilst Stuttgart are also extremely dangerous going forward, they will be without their captain. Today’s matchday news.
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