The match at the 'Auf der Emma' sports ground in Neitersen not only provided sporting highlights but also something much more important: A considerable financial donation that will benefit people affected by the flood disaster in the Rhineland Palatinate thanks to the 'Fußball hilft' foundation of the Rhineland Football Association.
Before kick-off in front of around 500 spectators, those present paid respect with a minute’s silence to the victims of the floods as well as the explosion at a hazardous waste incineration plant in Leverkusen on Tuesday morning.
The Bayer 04 side on this special day included former players Jens Nowotny, Falko Götz and Hanno Balitsch. Watching on from the sidelines were former Leverkusen players including Rüdiger Vollborn, Ulf Kirsten and Matthias Brücken.
Nenad Lazarevic put the Veterans team in front but the Sportfreunde level before half-time. In the second half, goals from Hanno Balitsch and Assimiou Toure secured the final score of 3-1. "The lads did well and produced a performance just like our hosts," declared Dick Dreher, general manager of the Bayer 04 Veterans team. "It was much more important for us on this evening that a decent donation was raised."
Bayer 04 group in Neitersen:
Players: Daniel Galic (goalkeeper), Nenad Lazarevic, Assimiou Toure, Carsten Baumann, Jens Nowotny, Ferhat Kiskanc, Michael Wagner, Falko Götz, Zülfi Simsek, Thorsten Judt, Danny Thönes, Christoph Chylla, Hanno Balitsch, Roman Klossek, Konrad Czarnetzki
Officials: Dirk Dreher (general manager), Gerhard Kentschke, Jürgen Gelsdorf (coaches), Christian Hausmann (assistant coach), Heinz Pier, Wilfried Krudewig, Olli Collette, Helmut Becker (all support staff)
Guests: Ulf Kirsten, Thorsten Wörsdörfer, Matthias Brücken, Wilfried Gässler, Peter Surbach, Rüdiger Vollborn, Walter Posner, Manfred Vetter, Jörg Volkmar
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended midfielder Noah Mbamba’s contract by twelve months and sent the Belgian U21 international on loan to France. At FC Lorient, the 21-year-old – whose contract at Leverkusen now runs to 30 June 2029 – is set to gain playing time in Ligue 1 and, through strong performances and further development, put himself in the running for a future place in the Werkself squad.
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There’s plenty for Bayer 04 fans to enjoy both on and off the pitch at the official 2026 season launch. In addition to the women’s team taking on Feyenoord at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium at 13:15 CEST and the men’s team facing Sevilla at the BayArena at 15:30 CEST, fans of all ages can enjoy a range of activities – and get to meet Bayer 04 players and former players in the process. The Fanwelt is also offering a special promotion: buy a new shirt and get free printing! Here’s an overview of everything you need to know about the season launch, including the live streams.
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A round-up of the Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land, all in one place: in our daily blog you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day six (Friday 7 August) is as follows: This morning, the squad completed their final training session – this time behind closed doors – here in Blankenhain, before heading back to Leverkusen after lunch. The big season launch is scheduled for tomorrow.
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