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"I'm really up for it!" said Erik ten Hag, making clear his excitement at his first Bundesliga match as head coach in the dugout. "Everything doesn't go to plan straightaway for any team in the first game of the season. But you can feel a very, very good team spirit in the dressing room and the team is coming together more and more. That's a very good foundation for the start of the season. On top of that there is a special bond between the team and the fans, which we saw last week in the DFB Pokal. That really impressed me.”
Asked about the successful preseason for TSG Hoffenheim with eight wins in eight friendlies and a goal difference of 40 to 5, plus the 4-0 victory at Hansa Rostock in the DFB Pokal, ten Hag said: "There are no easy games in the Bundesliga, that's absolutely clear. Hoffenheim are in good shape, they have a good coach and a good team. We'll have to give our all."
This summer's transfers were obviously a topic for discussion at the press conference. Asked about the many young new signings, ten Hag declared: "We still have a lot of experienced players, also in the spine of the team: Mark, Eddy, Rob, Patrik – they are all very experienced. The mix in the squad is good. And there are players who have stayed who bring a certain culture from the last few years, the culture of Bayer 04. It's exactly the same with the staff. And that's also very good."
For the Dutchman, who was previously at Manchester United and Ajax, it is not the first summer with lots of changes in personnel. Ten Hag: "Every era, every phase comes to an end at some point. Now it's time for a new successful phase. And we're all working hard on that every day, including the people in the background."
As in the DFB Pokal tie, Exequiel Palacios, Jonas Hofmann, Martin Terrier, Jeanuel Belocian and Malik Tillman are ruled out for the TSG game. New signing Loïc Badé will very probably not be an option. "But it looks good for him next week. And the other players are making good progress," explained ten Hag. Claudio Echeverri is ready to play: "He is absolutely fit and a player who was born with the ball at his feet (laughs). Of course, he could play from the start."
For the Bundesliga opener at the BayArena, a few tickets are available as well as tickets via the Bayer 04 ticket exchange. Click HERE for tickets.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with U19 midfielder Jonah Berghoff ahead of schedule. The Germany U18 international has signed professional terms with the club to 30 June 2030.
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With sixth place at the end of the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign, Bayer 04 ended a season in the top third of the table for the ninth time in a row. While the Werkself were narrowly eliminated in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 by eventual finalists Arsenal, the Black and Reds reached the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal for the third season in succession. As in previous years, you once again have the opportunity to vote for your Player of the Season. Voting is exclusively for Bayer 04 Club members and only via the Bayer 04 app up to and including 11 June.
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With 46 points in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga, the Bayer 04 Women’s team once again broke the previous season's club record and ended up in fifth place - 15 wins is also a record. As in previous years, you now have the opportunity to vote for your Player of the Season. Voting is open exclusively to Bayer 04 Club members and only via the Bayer 04 app by 11 June.
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The guests at the Scala Club in Leverkusen were amazed when host Reiner Calmund suddenly brought the Managing Director of Sport at Bayer 04, Simon Rolfes, and record Werkself appearance maker Rüdiger Vollborn onto the stage. As part of the show "An Evening with Football & Friends", organised by long-serving Bayer 04 managing director and general manager Calmund, the two surprise guests drew plenty of applause - and provided great entertainment in exciting conversations about the past and future.
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