“We’re very happy with the work of Jan Hoepner and Thomas Zdebel. Both with the individual work with the talents and with the development of the team,” said Thomas Eichin, head of the youth section at Bayer 04. “We have ambitious targets for the years ahead. And both will make valuable contributions.”
Jan Hoepner joined Bayer 04 in 2016. The 39-year-old was previously centre of excellence coordinator for the German Football Association (DFB) in the Middle Rhine region. Hoepner initially worked with Patrick Weiser in looking after the U17s and Thomas Zdebel arrived in the summer of 2019.
The former Poland international made 394 appearances for clubs in Germany (Rot-Weiss Essen, FC Köln, VfL Bochum, Bayer 04 (January to September 2010) and Alemannia Aachen), Belgium (Lierse SK) and Turkey (Genclerbirligi Ankara). The 47-year-old ended his playing career in 2011 and moved into coaching shortly after that. He started at SV Bergisch Gladbach. Zdebel was first the youth coach, then head of youth and, between 2015 and 2017, in charge of the senior team in the Middle Rhine League. He returned to Leverkusen in the summer of 2019 after a stint at TV Herkenrath.
Bayer 04 have the chance to reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League for the third time ever and the first in 14 years at Arsenal on Tuesday night (kick-off 21:00 CEST/20:00 local time). To do that, the Werkself not only require a strong performance like in the first leg, but also full concentration until the very last minute, as the Premier League leaders like to score late - as they did at the BayArena last week. Here's the Matchday News.
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A special award for special social commitment. At this year's ceremony for the Sepp Herberger Awards in Wolfsburg on Monday night, the DFB Sepp Herberger Foundation recognised Bayer 04 in the social rehabilitation category. The Bundesliga club received the prize, together with €12,000, for its great service to inmates, particularly in the Wuppertal-Ronsdorf prison.
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Can Bayer 04 pull off a coup in London? Just over a week after the 1-1 draw in the first leg of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie, the Werkself are now looking to put in a convincing performance away at Arsenal – and get a result to secure a place in the quarter-finals. Ahead of the match on Tuesday, (kick-off: 21:00 CET), head coach Kasper Hjulmand shared his thoughts on the team’s hunger for success. Exequiel Palacios, meanwhile, spoke about the importance of the fixture and the team’s development over the past few months.
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In their last two matches, they’ve done exactly what 'Laterkusen' did in the 2023/24 double-winning season: late on, but not too late, the Gunners scored crucial goals – first in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 at Bayer 04, then last weekend in the Premier League against Everton. This Tuesday, 17 March (kick-off: 21:00 CET), Arsenal host the Werkself in London. The latest on our opponents.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 1-2 loss at VfL Wolfsburg on the 20th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.
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