
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).

Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 0-1 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt on the 17th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.
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Bayer 04 have a score to settle with Borussia Mönchengladbach after their late equaliser in the reverse fixture. But it’s been a while since the points were shared in this fixture at Borussia-Park, where the Werkself have won their last six visits – their best run ever away at a team in the Bundesliga. Victory in Saturday evening’s game (18:30 CET) would also be the team’s fifth in a row in all competitions and their best run this season, while Gladbach are only just above the bottom three after going four games without a win. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the evening’s encounter in our matchday news.
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Ahead of the Bundesliga match at Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday, 7 February (kick-off: 18:30 CET), coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke about the strengths of the ‘Foals’ and a new player in his own ranks.
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