As part of a four-day follow-up in the coastal city of Cartagena, Bayer 04 instructor Peter Quast and Robert Urbanek of FK Austria Vienna trained 39 young football coaches. From 31 March to 4 April it was primarily about conveying training content in the area of children's football. The instructors worked in close cooperation with the Scort Foundation as well as the local partner organisation Fundación Colombianitos.
In addition to refreshing existing knowledge that participants had from previously completed Young Coaches training, the focus was on the inclusion of handicapped children. Young Coach Angie was thrilled by the content conveyed: "If, for example, a disadvantaged child is new to my school then I can now incorporate it as I know more. I've already got some ideas of how I can help out these children."
The participants also received an introduction to impact assessment to be able to better understand the influence of their football activities on the children and the community in the future.
The follow-up also covered holding two football festivals with children from the region. On the third day, handicapped children were invited first and that was followed a day later by a festival with 120 children without handicaps. The participating Young Coaches thereby have the opportunity to immediately apply all the content received over the four-day training course.
"It showed again how important a follow-up is. Over these four years things happen again and again that raise questions or where certain things don't work. We can continue to help them. A follow-up after three or four years serves to reinforce what's been learned," said Bayer 04 instructor Peter Quast on the significance of the measures taken.
The #morethanfootball Action Weeks started on Monday 21 March and run to 14 April. The aim is to highlight how football clubs can live up to their social commitment through a range of activities. The global project initiated by the European Football for Development Network offers participating clubs and organisations the opportunity through a range of theme days to inform their supporters and fans of their own activities in the area of community and social responsibility both on and off the pitch and thereby increase awareness of the role of football within society.
The Werkself took part in the campaign last year. Bayer 04 again present a range of activities on the current theme days. In addition to today’s International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, that includes the issues of accessibility, social inclusion, awareness, sustainability and climate protection, mental health and much more.
The Werkself and the Bayer 04 Women’s team have also draw attention to the Action Weeks in their recent home games. In addition, the campaign is being supported this year by the Werkself player Robert Andrich and Juliane Wirtz of the Bayer 04 Women's team in their roles as ambassadors.
Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
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Due to the last-minute postponement of the Bundesliga match between Hamburg and the Werkself on Tuesday, 13 January, Bayer 04 will reimburse the ticket price to all 3,500 fans who had already travelled to Hamburg as a sign of appreciation. The tickets remain valid for the rescheduled match (date not yet set).
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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.
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The Bundesliga fixture between Hamburger SV and Bayer 04 Leverkusen has been postponed at short notice.
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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.
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