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 Black and Reds kick off the new Bundesliga campaign today, Saturday 29 August (kick-off 15:30 CEST), away to newly promoted SV 07 Elversberg – and the Werkself will come up against a familiar face who is currently causing a stir at ‘Elv’. For an affordable and easy journey to the Saarland, the 1,600 travelling fans can still use the WERKSELFgo car-share platform. Today’s matchday news..
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The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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The Bundesliga is back. On Saturday 29 August (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself are away to SV 07 Elversberg on matchday 1 of the new season. Ahead of the clash at the URSAPHARM Arena on Kaiserlinde, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about the importance of a successful start and the motivation of the league newcomers from the Saarland.
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On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
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After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
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