Sven, you are away to Club Brugge for the start of the Youth League. Are preparations different for a European match compared with league games?
Hübscher: Fortunately we had our last match against Düsseldorf on Friday night. Nevertheless, the preparation time in comparison to a league match is obviously a bit shorter. In addition, around a game like that in the week there are several issues for the lads that don't crop up in games at the weekend. That primarily relates to school.
In the Youth League, up to three players born on or after 1 January 2003 are allowed per team. What do you think the opposition will be like?
Hübscher: The age structures and circumstances of teams in the Youth League are completely different. In comparison with Brugge for example, we will have a younger and less experienced team on the pitch. We go into the game with six younger U19 players and one U17 player. In contrast, Brugge have a second professional team where nearly all of the U19 players at the club play – and that's in the second division in Belgium. That means most of them have gained regular experience in professional football. So, we will face a very mature and grown-up team.
In the UEFA Youth league, there are rules applying to the squads that have to be maintained. That means at least 14 of the players nominated must have been the club for two calendar years or more. Six players can be included who have been at the club for less than two years. How does that rule affect putting the squad together at Bayer 04?
Hübscher: We have strengthened the U19 squad over the past two years with one or two new signings. Unfortunately we weren't able to take all of them with us due to the regulations. But it's clear we have put together the best possible squad.
The other group opponents are Porto and Atlético Madrid. Also big names in youth football…
Hübscher: That top level is also evident in every group in the Youth League as the youth teams of the best clubs in Europe are playing each other. Every game for us will be a challenge that we are very happy to take on.
What value does the Youth League have as an additional competition to the U19 Bundesliga and the DFB Youth Cup?
Hübscher: The Youth League is obviously a highlight for players, coaches and staff. We always fundamentally focus on the next match and approach each with 100% effort, which was the case last year. When the Youth League match is over it’s straight off to recovery and preparation for the next challenge.
That comes on Saturday in the DFB Youth Cup with the away tie at SSV Ulm 1846. That's a busy agenda and not least because of the long coach journeys to Bruges and Ulm…
Hübscher: And, on top of that, there's school for most of the lads. It's always said the lads are very close to the first team squad and professional football. But you should never forget that they still go to school and often have lessons into the afternoon. Some of them were doing exams a few hours ahead of the game in Bruges. The workload for the lads is incredibly high. But those are all things we support them with at the club as best as we can.
SAB-P GmbH is to become Bayer 04 Leverkusen's first official inclusion partner. The company, which has previously been involved in the club's Business Club, is underlining its social commitment to inclusion with an agreement that runs until 31 May 2027. Among other things, it will be the shirt sponsor of the Inclusion Team from the 2026/27 season onwards.
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Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month.
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Werkself TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 3-1 win against Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 20 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season...
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Kasper Hjulmand has led the Werkself back to winning ways and is back in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League with Bayer 04 after the 3-0 win against Villarreal on Wednesday evening. In an interview with the Werkself magazine at the BayArena in the team meeting room, directly opposite the dressing room, he provided some special insights for the current issue, which was published in January. A conversation with the 53-year-old coach about values, attitudes and personal experiences as well as interests outside of football.
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The thrilling 3-1 win for Bayer 04 against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Hinrunde is a fond memory for Alejandro Grimaldo, with his brace from free kicks, and coach Kasper Hjulmand, who was in the dugout under the Cross for the first time. Now comes the return fixture in the metropolis on the River Main and after going out of the DFB Pokal and the Champions League, the full focus at Eintracht, currently managed by two interim coaches, is now on the Bundesliga. For their part, the Werkself will do everything in their power to continue the longest winning run against a Bundesliga club. The matchday news.
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