
Holiday periods in Leverkusen are always time for the Bayer 04 soccer school. And for the 100 participants at the holiday camp there was a highlight on Wednesday: the traditional visit from a Bayer 04 first team player. This time it was the turn of Joel Pohjanpalo to spend an hour at the media centre at the BayArena to answer all the questions posed by the youngsters.
Above all else the main question concerned the fitness of the Finn after his fractured metatarsal. "I'm doing pretty well so far," said Pohjanpalo before adding: "I hope to be back in December." Following the Q and A session the 22-year-old was busy signing autographs and posing for selfies with the kids.
Meeting a Werkself pro was again the highlight of the Bayer 04 soccer school. The rest of the content of the week was also well worthwhile and provided some exciting days for the participants. The itinerary included professional training and a whole host of insights behind the scenes at Bundesliga club. The youngsters were looked after by train coaches and food and equipment were also provided.


Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without centre-back Edmond Tapsoba in the coming weeks. The Burkina Faso international returned to the Werkself from the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco with a muscle injury.
Show more
Bayer 04 face Hamburger SV for the first time in almost eight years. Although the Hanseatic city team are often below par on the road, they are regularly in top form in front of their own fans. In particular, 18-year-old shooting star Luka Vuskovic is proving to be a real bonus for Merlin Polzin's team, both in attack and defence. However, that should not scare the Werkself: Not only was the last defeat against the newly promoted team 17 games ago, but Kasper Hjulmand's players are in with a chance of securing their fifth win in six games against HSV. Today’s matchday news.
Show more
Hamburger SV and Bayer 04 meet again in the Bundesliga for the first time in almost eight years. This Tuesday evening, 13 January (kick-off: 20:30 CET), the promoted team with impressive home form welcome the Werkself to the Volksparkstadion to round off the Hinrunde. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show more
The Werkself are away to Hamburg SV at the end of the Hinrunde in the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign. The match at the newly promoted club is on Tuesday night, 13 January (kick-off: 20:30 CET). Ahead of the first encounter with HSV since 2018, Kasper Hjulmand spoke about the strengths of the opponents, lessons learnt from the home defeat against VfB Stuttgart and provided a squad update.
Show more