The 6- to 14-year-olds took their places on the edge of the pitch at the BayArena wide-eyed and full of questions. There was great excitement when Karim Bellarabi opened the door to the inside of the stadium. The popularity of the career of the offensive player amongst the youngsters was clear from one of the first questions: "Bellarabi, how do you become a football player?"
In addition, the Leverkusen crowd favourite revealed that his current squad number 38 was the same in his professional debut for Eintracht Braunschweig and that he scored his first Bundesliga goal for the Black and Reds in a home game against Bayern Munich. Another very special moment was the sound of the Champions League anthem before the start of matches in Europe’s premier club competition.
After the thirst for knowledge of the young players had been sated and autographs made on shirts, boots and drinking bottles, Bellarabi signed off with a group selfie with the enthusiastic children and teenagers at the Bayer 04 soccer school.
The 2025/26 Bundesliga season begins for the Werkself with a home game against Hoffenheim on Saturday. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the Matchday 1 fixture at the BayArena.
Show moreThe Bundesliga is back! Bayer 04 entertain TSG Hoffenheim on Matchday 1 of the 2025/26 season on Saturday, 23 August (kick-off: 15:30 CEST). Ahead of the game, head coach Erik ten Hag talked about the palpable excitement ahead of the league start for the team and himself, as well as providing a squad update and discussing the latest new signings.
Show morePreseason was pretty much perfect for TSG Hoffenheim. Head coach Christian Ilzer's side won all eight friendlies and didn't put a foot wrong last weekend at Hansa Rostock in the DFB Pokal either. TSG go into the next game against the Werkself at the BayArena on Saturday, 23 August (kick-off 15:30 CEST) with several new faces and plenty of confidence. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show moreThe Werkself have completed an intensive preseason and made a successful start to the 2025/26 campaign in the DFB Pokal as the new Bundesliga season finally starts this week. And, as in the cup tie in Großaspach (4-0), head coach Erik ten Hag's team can continue to look forward to strong support from the Bayer 04 fans at the BayArena. There is continuing high demand for tickets both for match tickets and season cards. And other stats from the past weeks and months show: the fans are up for Bayer 04!
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