Leverkusen beat SC Sand 2-1 in the previous match in the first half of the season. The hope is for the same number of points on Sunday in the game against SC Freiburg. SCF are in sixth place and one point behind the Werkself with a total of 15 points and they have won five of the last ten games. They have only lost two games – one of them against Bayer 04. In the first half of the season, the team from Baden lost 2-1 with two late goals from the Werkself Women on 87 and 90 minutes.
Despite the win on the first matchday of the season Leverkusen’s head coach Achim Feifel has sounded a warning about the potential of the team from the Breisgau: “Freiburg are a good Bundesliga team. From the few goals conceded in the first half of the season it is clear they are very solid at the back and disciplined. They have a clear plan and good shape. They also have a lot of players in their ranks who are very quick in transitions when they win possession.”
The Bayer 04 coach is expecting his team to be aggressive in the first game of the second half of the season. “We have to be compact to win the game and deny Freiburg any space in the middle of the park. We have to defend aggressively and put the opposition under pressure. And play quick counter-attacks as that’s what we’re good at and it can also be a weak point for the opposition. We have to exploit that.”
A win against Freiburg also means going into the winter break with a positive feeling and being able to fully recharge our batteries for the remaining games in the New Year. “I think we’ll all get a good rest. The break due to coronavirus and all the games have placed a heavy burden on the team. I hope they have a good time with their families and come back fit and well so we can have a good build-up to the second half of the season,” said Feifel.
Pauline Wimmer (torn cruciate) and Jessica Wich (broken ankle) are unavailable on Sunday. Barbara Reger is also ruled out with a knee injury. Striker Milena Nikolic has missed training due to back pain. It remains to be seen if she can play against SC Freiburg.
‘Give our all once again’ is the title of the latest edition of the Rasenreport. The matchday programme for the home game against Freiburg is available online free of charge. In addition to information on the game, the current edition also includes Lara Marti choosing between two answers in the Black and Red format. Click HERE for the Rasenreport.
The Black and Reds travel to Gran Canaria in the second half of January for a training camp where Feifel will be working hard on ironing out any weak points in the team. “We will also focus on team building activities and bind the team even closer together. On top of that, we want to produce targets for the second half of the season and step up our game in terms of tactics and fitness,” the head coach explained.
The next match for the Werkself Women in 2021 is on 7 February (kick-off: 14.00 CET). Bayer 04 are away to TSG Hoffenheim on matchday 19, which has been brought forward. That is followed by matchday 13 on 14 February with a game against MSV Duisburg.
More information on the Bayer 04 Women is available in the ELFEN magazine. The fourth edition of the women’s football magazine is out on 17 December. Subjects covered include Anna Klink and her new role as part of the Bayer 04 eSports team and the Bayer 04 Women being the surprise team in the FLYERALARM Women’s Bundesliga.
Less than a year ago, Kerim Alajbegovic moved from the Bayer 04 U19s to Austrian top-flight club FC Red Bull Salzburg. The forward’s development since then has been impressive. In 36 matches, including in the UEFA Europa League, the 18-year-old has scored 14 goals. In the summer, Alajbegovic, now a Bosnia international, will return to Leverkusen - and thus not only achieve the next milestone still early in his career, but also enrich the Werkself squad with his footballing versatility and determination.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with forward Nathan Tella ahead of schedule. The versatile 26-year-old, who can be deployed as a right winger, false nine or left winger, has penned a new contract to 30 June 2031. Tella joined the Werkself from Championship club Southampton in 2023. His previous contract ran to the summer of 2028.
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Nathan Tella has extended his contract with Bayer 04 to 2031. In an interview with Werkself TV, the 26-year-old talks about fulfilling his dreams, his positive outlook on life and his goals for the future. He answers the questions in English - all except the last one, which he addresses directly to the fans...
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In the final international break in the current 2025/26 campaign, Bayer 04 striker Patrik Schick with Czechia will be battling for a place at the World Cup. Meanwhile, national teams that have already qualified, include other Werkself players called up, are involved in friendlies in the build-up to the World Cup. Read on for an overview of the Leverkusen internationals and their match dates.
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The Werkself kicked off the final international break of the current season on Monday morning with the first of three open training sessions this week. While eleven Bayer 04 players will be away on international duty in the coming days, the other players will be working together in Leverkusen. The next challenge in the Bundesliga awaits on Saturday, 4 April (kick-off: 15:30 CEST) with the home game against VfL Wolfsburg.
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