
The Over 40s cup was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. All the clubs left in the competition said they wanted to complete the cup by the end of the year with due regard to all hygiene and safety measures.
The Vets team headed off to the Palatinate with a 14-man squad – and they made a perfect start with an early opener scored by Frank Döpper from a Thorsten Judt corner (17’.). The same combination struck on 45 minutes: Döpper headed home a Judt cross.
Judt then settled the result of the cup tie himself in the game played over two 35-minute halves: The former player made it 3-0 with a fine curler with the outside of his foot from 16 yards out (63’) and Judt set up Roman Klossek four minutes later to score the fourth and final goal in front of 250 spectators. “It was a deserved win overall,” said team manager Dirk Dreher. “We were particularly happy with the very friendly reception from the hosts.”
On a positive note: The money generated from the spectators and a tombola was made available to support five-year-old Henry. The boy is seriously ill and the financial aid will help his care. The Bayer 04 Veterans brought a shirt signed by Jonathan Tah and Charles Aránguiz with them for the tombola. Henry was also presented with a current shirt with his name and age on it.
In the next round of the Over 40s cup, Bayer 04 are away to VfR Fehlheim in Southern Hesse. The match is due to be played in October. The date will be announced on bayer04.de.

Kicking off the new season with a fresh look: Bayer 04, in collaboration with sportswear manufacturer New Balance, has unveiled the official kit for Leverkusen’s e-Sports players for the coming season. The jersey is now available from the Bayer 04 online shop and the Fanwelt.
Show more
Paulo Sergio and Bayer 04 have enjoyed close ties since the Werkself training camp in his native Brazil last summer. The club legend is in charge of the Bayer 04 Soccer Academy, which opened in the summer of 2025, and he has also been at this year’s training camp in the Weimarer Land. As well as interacting with the many fans who travelled to the camp, the 1994 World Cup winner used the time to plan the next steps for the Academy together with club officials. In an interview with bayer04.de, Sergio spoke about the project’s future development, the upcoming visit by young Academy players to Leverkusen, and plans for the coming months in Germany and Brazil.
Show more
A round-up of the Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land, all in one place: in our daily blog you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day four (Wednesday 5 August) is all about training. The day begins with a gruelling open training session – new signing Miguel Gutiérrez also takes part. A second session follows in the afternoon, this time behind closed doors.
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed Spanish left-back Miguel Gutiérrez from Napoli. The 25-year-old has signed a contract with the club to 30 June 2031. Gutiérrez came through the youth ranks at Real Madrid; he moved to Italy a year ago from Girona, and he played a key role for Napoli with 36 appearances. The big Italian club finished last season as runners-up in Serie A.
Show more