
Crucial in implementing this act of support for youth footballers was the close contact between Stefan Rönz, a member of the coaching teaching staff at the Middle Rhine Football Association, and Dynamo Kyiv – in particular with Wladimir Zharikow, the director of the youth academy at the top-flight Ukrainian club. "Wladimir asked me to look after the lads a few weeks ago," explained Rönz.
On the initiative of the 50-year-old, the young Ukrainians, whose families have mostly stayed in the Ukraine capital Kyiv and are thereby in the war zone, plus two of the mothers are now staying at the Sportschule Hennef. They train there daily and have already played games against clubs from the surrounding region.
The Ukrainian youth footballers will be guests in Leverkusen three days after the game against the Leverkusen U17 team at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre: Bayer 04 have invited the team to the Bundesliga home game against RB Leipzig on Easter Sunday 17 April (kick-off: 19.30 CEST).

Two Saturdays, one Friday and one Sunday: The dates for the Bayer 04 Women's team games on matchdays 16 to 19 have been finalised. Three of the four matches scheduled by the German Football Association (DFB) on Tuesday will be played at home at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium.
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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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Bayer 04 Women finish 2025 with the first game of the second half of the Google Pixel Bundesliga season as they host defending champions and league leaders Bayern Munich at the Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion on Monday. Kick-off is at 18:00 CET. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the Matchday 14 encounter.
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The Werkself may have the festive season off, but four players will still be in action as they compete at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Eliesse Ben Seghir will open the 35th edition of the tournament with hosts Morocco on Sunday, 21 December. Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso), Ibrahim Maza (Algeria) and Christian Kofane (Cameroon) are also going for continental glory.
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