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"Cup games are always something special. This one match decides whether we can go through or not. It's a long way to the final and we have to take it step-by-step. We made a good start against Ottensen and we want to maintain that level. We need maximum concentration for the match against Sandhausen. We'll give 100%," declared coach Alonso at the start of the press conference.
SV Sandhausen, who appointed the former Schalke 04 head coach Jens Keller a few days ago, are definitely not to be underestimated by the Werkself. "We have respect for Sandhausen. They played very well against Hannover (4-2, First round of the DFB Pokal, ed.). We'll definitely have to play with the same professionalism as we did against Ottensen," said Alonso.
In addition, the Spaniard announced personnel changes for the game against Sandhausen. "We’ll change things around a bit. We are in an intense phase at the moment. We need every player for us to be able to progress in every competition. That's exactly why we had the clear approach to the squad in the summer. It was important for us to bring in several players of high quality for nearly every position. We did that and that means every player now gets a chance for a break and time to recover," said Spanish coach.
The Werkself can once again look forward to great support on the road. Given the demand for tickets, Bayer 04 endeavoured to obtain a bigger allocation ahead of the cup tie. 3,000 Bayer 04 fans are set to travel to Sandhausen tomorrow. Standing tickets are still available with the ticket office at the ground opening at 16.30 CET. According to SV Sandhausen, 9,000 to 10,000 fans are expected to attend the match, Sky will broadcast the tie live and the game will also be available free of charge on Werkself Radio.

Bayer 04 are back at the BayArena! Under the slogan “One day. Two teams. One club.”, the Leverkusen stadium grounds will be transformed into a world of experiences – with a wide range of exclusive activities both on and off the pitch. Keep track of all the highlights in our blog for the 2026 season launch.
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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.
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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.
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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 five (Thursday 6 August) is as follows: The squad have the final open session of the training camp in the morning. After lunch, there will be a team event.
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When Afonso Moreira arrived for his interview with bayer04.de, he had to take a deep breath first. Asked how the morning session had gone, the 21-year-old replied with a slight smile: “Tough. Intense.” That’s really sums up the workload for the Werkself so far at the training camp in the Weimarer Land region. Head coach Carles Martínez and his team demand hard work, team spirit and the determination to improve every day. Those are values Moreira wholeheartedly identifies with – and the Portuguese player has not only taken them to heart, but also permanently noted in the form of a tattoo.
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