In the spring and summer of last year, a number of Werkself players similarly made the day of children at the Bayer 04 Soccer School. This time it was Nadiem Amiri who was happy to field a host of questions from the curious children and teenagers.
90 children came together after lunch and a stadium tour in the press conference room at the BayArena and eagerly awaited the arrival of the midfielder. There was huge applause when Amiri entered the room. The vocal welcome was followed by plenty of questions. The 6- to 14-year-olds questions included: "When did you start playing football?," "Who is your favourite player?," What's a day in the life of a professional footballer like?" Amiri revealed that his favourite game in a black and red shirt was the 4-3 home win against Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga in the 2019/20 season where he set up two goals.
One of the children wanted to know what Amiri was thinking when he made his Bundesliga debut. The answer from the 25-year-old midfielder: "It was one of the best days of my life. I always wanted to be a professional football player and I'm grateful for that every day. I came onto the pitch back then in the game against VfL Wolfsburg and I was thrown into the deep end straightaway because it felt like I only got to know about it 30 minutes earlier." The question about who he gets on best within the team set our number 11 thinking: "I actually got on very well with everybody." He added: "But I've known Kerem (Demirbay, ed), Karim (Bellarabi,ed) and Jonathan (Tah, ed), the longest – and I can speak German to them and that's not bad either. (He laughs)"
Following the round of questions there was obviously time for lots of autographs and photos. The 25-year-old Werkself midfielder signed shirts, shorts and boots and also mobile phone cases. After a group photograph, Amiri headed off to training leaving behind a roomful of beaming and clearly happy youngsters in the press conference room at the BayArena. The children then had another training session.
Standing on the pitch where the Werkself players perform - for many Bayer 04 club members, this wish became reality at this year's Members' kickabout. Around 400 active participants of all ages took the opportunity to experience the BayArena from a new and special perspective. And there was also plenty going on in the stands: The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors in total and provided an atmospheric end to the season.
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Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
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Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
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