Back
7.01.2025Veterans

Debut for Lars Bender: Veterans in action twice at start of the year

The Bayer 04 Veterans team kick-off 2025 with two top-class tournaments. First, the team are set to take part in the Matthäi Cup in Frankfurt and then it's off to Regensburg for the ‘Bananenflanker-Budenzauber’, South Germany's biggest indoor tournament for veterans teams. Bayer 04 honorary captain Lars Bender is set to make his debut for the Leverkusen Veterans.
Lars Bender

The Veterans will be in action on 8 January from 18.00 CET in the Matthäi Cup in Frankfurt. In the second year of the indoor tournament started in 2024, the Black and Reds face VfB Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt in Group A. Werder Bremen, Mainz 05 and Kickers Offenbach are in Group B. Within the groups, each team plays each other with the first two teams going through to the semi-finals. The matches will be played at the Süwag Energie Arena in Frankfurt and the tournament will be broadcast live on DF 1.

The Bayer 04 squad in Frankfurt: Dominik Poremba and Daniel Galic (both goalkeepers), Stefan Kießling, Gonzalo Castro, Assimiou Toure, Carsten Baumann, Philipp Wollscheid, Thorsten Judt, Albert Bunjaku, Anel Dzaka, Mario Schwarz, Ioannis Masmanidis, Sascha Jagusch, Giuseppe Spitali and Aziz Bouhaddouz

with Lars BEnder in Regensburg

The Leverkusen Veterans will then play in the Bananenflanker-Budenzauber tournament in Regensburg on 11 January. In South Germany's biggest indoor tournament for veterans teams, Bayer 04 will play FC Nürnberg (tournament winners in 2024), TSV 1860 Munich (runners-up in 2024), SpVgg Greuther Fürth, SSV Jahn Regensburg, SpVgg Unterhaching, the Bananenflanker Legends and the Wintec Autoglas & Balu4Kids Allstars. Bayer 04 honorary captain Lars Bender will be in the Leverkusen Veterans squad for the first time. The tournament will be broadcast HERE as a live stream.

The Bayer 04 squad in Regensburg: Dominik Poremba and Daniel Galic (both goalkeepers), Lars Bender, Jörg Reeb, Mike Rietpietsch, Assimiou Toure, Carsten Baumann, Thorsten Judt, Anel Dzaka, Mario Schwarz, Ioannis Masmanidis, Giuseppe Spitali, Sahin Sezer, Sebastian Hirsch

Related News

U19
U19 - 08.05.2025

‘Fans will give us an extra boost’: U19s host FC Bayern in semi-final tie

A cracker of a semi-final at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The Bayer 04 U19 team entertain Bayern Munich on Saturday, 10 May (kick-off: 11:00 CEST/stadium opens: 10:00 CEST). In front of a home crowd, the team led by head coach Sergi Runge, who welcomes back an attacking player, is looking to build on the battling performances from the previous knockout games and "perform at the right moment." Tickets are available from the Bayer 04 online shop and the game will also be broadcast live on Sky.

Show more
20250504_JS2_0046.jpg
Bundesliga - 04.05.2025

2-2 in Freiburg – Tah rescues run late on

Bayer 04 have now gone 33 Bundesliga away games in succession without defeat and thereby equalled the record set by Bayern Munich: Jonathan Tah netted the equaliser at 2-2 in added time away to SC Freiburg on his 400th appearance for the Werkself. SCF took a 2-0 lead with a strike from Maximilian Eggestein (44') and a Piero Hincapie own goal (48') before Florian Wirtz pulled a goal back on 82 minutes.

Show more
Tah rescues run late on | 32nd matchday
Werkself-TV - 04.05.2025

TV highlights of 2-2 draw at SC Freiburg

Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 2-2 draw at SC Freiburg on the 32nd matchday of the Bundesliga 2024/25...

Show more
Europa-Park Stadion
Bundesliga - 04.05.2025

Matchday news #SCFB04: In-form Freiburg with target in sight

The Werkself are away to SC Freiburg on Bundesliga Matchday 32. The penultimate away game of the season is today Sunday, 4 May with a 17:30 CEST kick-off at the Europa Park Stadion. Read on for the latest information in today's matchday news.

Show more