Following on from Potsdam, the Bayer 04 Women face another top team at the weekend in VfL Wolfsburg. The Werkself Women can go into game in confident mood after last weekend’s win against Turbine and briefly being in fourth place. “Morale has obviously been good this week after the win,” said Feifel but he also sounded a warning: “Wolfsburg are a completely different proposition from Potsdam. We really have to take these opponents seriously...”
The Wolves won the league for the fourth time in succession last term with 62 out of a possible 66 points and without losing a single game. This season, the FC Bayern Women are also in the running for the title as they are top of the table ahead of Wolfsburg on 45 points. VfL are also competing to win the DFB Cup and the Champions League with the team beating the Norwegian club Lilleström SK Kvinner this week to progress to the quarter-finals.
Despite the opponents playing in the week, Feifel is expecting them to be dominant and have the majority of possession with his team having to defend well to stay in the match. It will be a completely different game from last week’s encounter with Potsdam. “But we will obviously take the positives into the game and that helps with self-belief. And we need that too! We can’t afford to be on the back foot and we have to be brave,” said the coach. The aim is to “get a good result” through competitive spirit, aggression and compact organisation.
In terms of personnel, Feifel has increasing options. Jessica Wich and Nina Brüggemann returned to full training this week. Still sidelined are Juliane Wirtz, struggling with a groin injury, and Viktoria Pinther with a back problem. There is also a question mark over Sylwia Matysik being fit in time for Sunday – “that would be a bitter blow. Sylwia with her ball-winning ability, which she showed against Potsdam, is incredibly important for us against opponents like that,” said the coach.
The 56-year-old announced a change in goal for Sunday. Anna Wellmann comes in for Anna Klink. “She has performed very well in training and will now get to play in one or two games,” Feifel explained, “she absolutely deserves it.”
The game for the Werkself Women will be broadcast live: The match is on MagentaTV at #dabeiTV on channel 18 or on MagentaSport. Bayer 04 will stream other Leverkusen Women’s games over the rest of the season on the club’s YouTube channel.
The Golden Boy Top 100 traditionally lists Europe’s most promising young players. In the latest update, published to mark the start of the new season, four current Werkself players – alongside loanee Francis Onyeka – feature on the list. This means Bayer 04 have the most players in contention of any Bundesliga club.
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Goalkeeper Rafaela Borggräfe will continue to play for Bayer 04 Leverkusen next season. The loan of the Germany U23 international, who joined from Liverpool in the winter, has been extended by a further year.
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The Bayer 04 delegation, led by Fernando Carro, CEO, concluded their multi-day trip to Brazil with a visit to the community-based organisation Bola Pra Frente in Rio de Janeiro – founded by former Werkself player Jorginho. During the visit, Bayer 04 committed to extending support for the Bola Pra Frente project for a further five years. In addition, Jorginho, a member of the Brazil 1994 World Cup-winning squad, was named Bayer 04’s second official club legend. With the visit to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the club has strengthened the relationships built up over the years in one of Bayer 04’s most important international markets.
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Ten years after retiring as a player, Kristina Sundov is returning to the Bayer 04 Women’s team as assistant coach. The 39-year-old former Croatia international takes over from Remzi Kahraman, who has taken up a new challenge abroad. She has been given a contract to 30 June 2028.
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The training pitches at the BayArena are already buzzing with activity again, even before training officially begins next week. On Monday morning, a small group from the Werkself first-team squad completed a session lasting around an hour. Both new and familiar faces were present.
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