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
In glorious sunshine and temperatures of around 30 degrees Celsius, the Bayer 04 Women have begun their preparations for the new season. With a relaxed first session at the Kurtekotten training centre, coach Roberto Pätzold’s team became the first Bundesliga side to resume training after a 37-day break.
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Black and Red stand out. Under the slogan ‘Diversity under the Cross’, Bayer 04 took part in Pride on the Rhine at the weekend alongside the queer fan club “Bayer 04 Junxx”. The club mascot, Brian the Lion, and several members of staff were also in attendance, championing diversity and solidarity.
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Centre-back Melissa Friedrich is set to remain at Bayer 04 for another year. The longest-serving player in the squad, who joined the club in 2016, has extended her contract to 2027.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed Portugal U21 international Afonso Moreira. The 21-year-old winger joins the club from French top-flight side Olympique Lyon on a contract to 30 June 2031. In France last year, the left-winger made 37 appearances in Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and the UEFA Europa League, scoring a total of eight goals and providing eleven assists.
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