"Melissa has consistently fought her way back from serious injury and is a real role model on and off the pitch. Her great loyalty to the club is impressive. We are all the more delighted that, with her vast experience, she will continue to play an important role in our team in the coming season," said Bayer 04 Women sporting director Achim Feifel. "When she recently made a return to the starting XI, she proved once again that we can rely on her at all times."
Despite suffering setbacks through a number of injury-related absences since arriving at Bayer 04 from 1. FFC Frankfurt nine years ago, Friedrich has made 102 competitive appearances (four goals). After they were relegated from the Bundesliga in 2017, she helped the Werkself achieve promotion at the first time of asking the following season. In the 2024/25 campaign, she had to make up a training deficit in the Hinrunde, but then went on to make four appearances in the Rückunde, three of them in the starting XI.
"I'm really looking forward to my tenth year at Bayer 04. It's always something special for me to play for this club, which has a special place in my heart," said Friedrich: "I'm happy that I'm fit, I want to support the team as best I can and play my part in another successful season."
Bayer 04 have fond memories of their encounters with Heidenheim, including a resounding 6-0 win in the reverse fixture. Kasper Hjulmand’s side would very much like to produce a similarly clinical display as they now head to the Voith-Arena for Matchday 27 on Saturday (15:30 CET). But they come up against a team fighting for their Bundesliga lives at the bottom of the table, 10 points adrift of safety with time running out. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game in our matchday news.
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The Bayer 04 Women welcome FC Carl Zeiss Jena to the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on Sunday night in a white retro look - and in a unique Bayer 04 ‘50 Years of Fan Clubs’ special edition jersey. In sporting terms, head coach Roberto Pätzold's team will face the Bundesliga's bottom team at 18:30 CET looking to keep their chances of third place in the table alive with six games left to play.
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Bayer 04 return to Bundesliga action this weekend. Following their elimination in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League, the Werkself are away to FC Heidenheim 1846 on Saturday, 21 March (kick-off: 15:30 CET) on Bundesliga matchday 27. Ahead of the clash in the eastern Swabian Alps, head coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke about the importance of the fixture and the chances of qualifying for the Champions League next term.
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A quick look at the table shows the situation at FC Heidenheim is serious. The Bundesliga bottom club are already ten points behind the play-off spot with their backs to the wall in sporting terms. With eight games left to play, avoiding relegation appears to be a mission impossible. Nevertheless, they are far from flying the white flag at the Schlossberg ahead of the clash with the Werkself this Saturday, 21 March (kick-off: 15:30 CET). The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without the two strikers in the immediate future. Caroline Kehrer suffered a torn ligament in her right knee and Amy Wrigge tore her cruciate ligament.
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