
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 long-standing successful collaboration between Bayer 04 and the transport service provider wupsi GmbH has been expanded: From January 2026, 100 wupsi bikes with Bayer 04 branding will be available for hire throughout the city of Leverkusen. They will complement the many existing offers and services that provide key support, especially for fans travelling to and from home matches at the BayArena.
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The Werkself are back! Following the two-week winter break, head coach Kasper Hjulmand's team began the new year with an open session on Sunday. After Robert Andrich and his teammates arrived in Leverkusen yesterday for the official check-in, they got back down to business a day later in front of around 1,200 fans at the Ulrich Haberland Stadion. The report from the Werkself's first session of 2026.
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After a two-week winter break, the Werkself resume training on Sunday, 4 January. The first session in 2026 at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium starts at 11:00 and is open to fans. Bayer 04 look forward to welcoming supporters at the start of 2026. The Werkself schedule for the new year.
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After being nominated for the Bundesliga Goal of the Year 2025, Martin Terrier's wonderful strike for the opener against FC Köln is now also up for selection for the ARD Sportschau Goal of the Month award for December 2025. Bayer 04 fans have until 19:00 CET on 10 January to vote for the French forward.
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