Under the slogan ‘Purple for Preemies’, numerous world-famous buildings and landmarks around the globe are being illuminated. In Leverkusen, too, the illumination of the BayArena has now become a tradition.
Premature babies are children born before the 37th week of pregnancy. Their organs are often not yet fully developed, and that requires highly specialised medical care. Parents therefore often have to spend many weeks in hospital with their babies.
Perinatal centres – including units within maternity hospitals that specialise in premature births – provide the best possible care for babies and parents. With the Perinatal Centre at Klinikum Leverkusen, the region has a ‘Level 1’ facility. Its structure is designed to provide specialised care for pregnant women, as well as premature and newborn babies with a birth weight of less than 1,500 grammes. On 15 November, the BayArena will once again be lit up in the campaign colour purple for ‘premature babies’ and their families from Leverkusen and all over the world – marking the eleventh year running.
Bayer 04 has close ties with Klinikum Leverkusen beyond World Prematurity Day. After winning the double in 2024, for example, representatives of the Werkself visited as part of a Trophy Tour. Staff from the hospital have also previously served as flag-bearers at Bayer 04 home games. Bayer 04 Leverkusen have also regularly made donations to the hospital’s palliative care unit. Furthermore, Werkself players pay a surprise visit every year at Christmas bearing festive gifts.
Whether it's sport or his private live: Captain Edmond Tapsoba tells us his top three personal favourites in twelve categories in edition #56 of the Werkself Magazine. The defender had to answer as quickly as he reacts on the pitch. 'On the Podium' with Edmond Tapsoba!
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“Year after year, this is an incredibly valuable gathering, both in terms of the content covered and the opportunity for mutual discussion,” stressed Bayer 04 goalkeeping coach David Thiel in his welcoming address at this year’s goalkeeping coaches’ meeting. This was the third time in four seasons that the event had been held at the BayArena. Organised by the German Football Association (DFB), the meeting brought together goalkeeping coaches from the Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2 and the 3rd division from the west region. For the first time this year, goalkeeping coaches from the youth performance centres (NLZ) were also present. Bayer 04 fitness coach Markus Müller provided fascinating insights into the specific fitness training carried out with the Werkself’s goalkeepers.
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A floodlit derby, two further night games and a top-of-the-table clash on a Saturday afternoon: The German Football Association (DFB) has confirmed the exact dates for four further matchdays in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga. This means all fixtures for the Bayer 04 women’s team up to the end of the year, as well as the first two in 2027, are now confirmed.
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It was another incredibly close call in the end: The second showdown in the 2026/27 VBL Club Championship saw the #B04eSports team once again narrowly miss out on a place in the top 16 of the preliminary round – and with it, a spot in the in-person knockout stage. It was a bitter blow: Marc and Sean Landwehr again fell just short, despite being level on points with their rivals. As was the case last month, their weaker record across the twelve individual matches in the six preliminary round fixtures proved decisive.
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