To round off this year's #Morethanfootball Action Weeks a large number of the active clubs and associations are coming together for the 15th EFDN Conference, held virtually from 12 to 14 April, to exchange information and ideas on joint action and commitment.
With Meinolf Sprink (Director of Fans/Community), who is also on the EFDN management board, plus Jörg Kappenhagen (Head of Community Affairs), Matthias Adler (Organisational development/Community) and Florian Wolfrum (Memberships), Bayer 04 have four representatives at this years EFDN Conference. The diverse programme offers participants an insight into the way Europe's leading football clubs and organisations currently, and in the future, can develop and implement initiatives for community and social responsibility.
This year's conference is taking place virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. A varied programme with breakout meetings, open forums, practical workshops, monitoring and evaluation initiatives and round-table discussions offer optimum conditions for the exchange of information. The EFDN Conference is the biggest get-together of experts for community and social responsibility (CSR) in European professional football.
Bayer 04 have been an active member of the European Football for Development Network (EFDN) since 2015 and the network now has over 100 members across Europe pursuing the targets of promoting the power football as a tool for social development. To this end, the EFDN supports and advises its members and offers the exchange of opportunities, knowledge and experience at a European level to improve the quality and efficiency of national and local initiatives in the area of football for sustainable development. The #Morethanfootball Action Weeks are organised under the aegis of the EFDN.
Bayer 04 will have to manage without defender Guéla Doué for the time being. The Ivory Coast international sustained a muscle injury to his right calf during the final Werkself training session yesterday ahead of the Europa League clash with Slovenian champions NK Celje.
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For the first time since reaching the final against AS Roma (2–2, first leg 2–0) in May 2024, Bayer 04 are playing another home match in the UEFA Europa League – and they will be wearing their new European kit. On Wednesday 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), the BayArena will welcome Slovenian champions NK Celje, who appointed a new coach this week following a mixed start to the season. Under the slogan “40 Years Across Europe. Still Creating History.”, the Black and Reds now aim to add the next chapter to their European history, which has seen so much success in recent years. Bayer 04 fans can follow the match on free-to-air TV on RTL, as well as on Sky and Werkself Radio. The matchday news.
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European football returns to the BayArena: Bayer 04 host Slovenian champions NK Celje on matchday 1 in the group stage of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League. Ahead of the match on Wednesday 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), head coach Carles Martínez and midfielder Aleix Garcia spoke at the pre-match press conference. The focus was primarily on the great anticipation surrounding the competition and the clear objectives for it – and, given the circumstances, on a last-minute change to the opposition line-up.
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The champions of Slovenia NK Celje are in a European competition for the fourth time in their history. This Wednesday, 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), the side lead by head coach Vitor Campelos visit the BayArena for matchday 1 in the group stage in the UEFA Europa League. Celje’s last match at the weekend did not go to plan. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Construction work continues on the ‘Haus der Talente’ on Kurtekottenweg in Leverkusen, where 36 young elite athletes will find a new home from next summer. The building team from Temmink Bau, led by Thomas Wellers, are hard at work. Over the past few days, excavators, wheeled loaders and rollers have removed 2,500 cubic metres of soil to excavate the basement.
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