
The great passion for their favourite sport is evident amongst the Werkself U11 squad during the suspension caused by coronavirus. "I hope I can finally start training with my lads again at Kurtekotten," said Gabriel Minutillo who played eleven friendlies with his team and coaching duo Sebastian Lang and Fritz Vosen in this season from August to the start of October before working from home and individual training started.
In their New Year's wishes, the 10-year-olds see the bigger picture away from football and, in addition to returning to full training, primarily want to see one thing: good health for everybody.
Davud Alibasic: "I wish everybody a good start and I hope we can play more often this year compared with 2020. Thanks to all the staff at Bayer 04 who have always been and will be there for us."
Can Altuner: "I'm wishing for Bayer 04, and also for me, a successful year on the pitch and above all a healthy 2021 and, of course, finally getting back to playing normally. My motto for every training session and every game is: Battle with passion, win with pride, lose with respect – but never give up! That's how I want to approach 2021 with my lads."
Valon Bedzeti: "My wish is that everybody stays healthy and that we can soon be able to train and play under normal conditions again and, in a couple of years, we are all successful football players. One thing is particularly important to me: Fight for your team if you want your team to fight for you!"
Rayan Ben Ali: "My wish for the New Year is that we all remain healthy and happy and that we can soon defeat coronavirus. Then we can finally all get back to training and playing our games. A successful 2021 to all teams at Bayer 04!"
Celal Demir: "For me, in addition to the health of everybody around me, there is a target again like last year: It's not about being the best. It's about being better than yesterday at the end of the day."
Finn Grotthaus: "My wish for the club and the Werkself is a Champions League place at the end of the season."
Samuel Guie-Mien: "In 2021, I wish above all health for me, my family and my teammates and continuing great success at Bayer 04."
Diego Kampl: "I wish everybody much happiness and good health for the New Year and hope that all children will finally be able to play football again as normal. My personal wish is to be able to go to the stadium again with my father."
Emirhan Karabulut: "For the New Year, I wish that coronavirus disappears forever from our lives. And I wish the Bayer 04 family all the best for the New Year 2021. I hope we can all see each other again soon and matches and training together will be possible as in the old days. I really miss football. See you soon at Kurtekotten!"
Anderson Kussunga: "In addition to health for everybody, I wish from a personal sporting point of view that I can improve my right foot, increase my speed and successfully work on my technique."„
Adam Labari: "I wish the club, players, coaches and staff all the best for the future, the best possible success and above all health so that we can all be back on the pitch together soon."
Gabriel Minutillo: "In 2021, my wish is to be able to train with my lads again at Kurtekotten and that the Werkself end the season by qualifying for the Champions League."
Lindi Neimi: "I hope the first team continue to be so successful and can perhaps even end up as champions of Germany. When the pandemic has been beaten then I want to be able to train with my team at Kurtekotten again and play lots of games together."
Yaron Ommer: "I wish the whole youth section at Bayer 04 all the best for the New Year. Stay healthy. I hope we can see each other again as soon as possible and then give it our all in every training session, every game and every tournament."
Chahin Sathi: "Unfortunately, for us 2020 was mainly a year without normal contact with our friends, training sessions and matches. But we’re now starting the new year full of energy and anticipation."
Training sessions and matches remain suspended in the youth and amateur game. The timing of the return to the pitch is dependent on the development of the pandemic.

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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