"Julia had her first chance in our Bundesliga team last season and she took it. She is now an established member of the squad but also has a lot of potential to develop," said Achim Feifel, the Bayer 04 Women's team sporting director, about the 19-year-old: "We have great confidence in her ability and are sure this will be seen more and more on the pitch in future."
The ten-time U19 international Mickenhagen came to Leverkusen from SG Wipperfeld/Thier and progressed through the U16, U17 and U23 teams. She played her only game in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga to date last February in the match away to FC Nürnberg (2-1). She was in the squad for two more matches. She was selected by Germany U19 coach Michael Urbansky last Thursday for the European Championships ibnv Lithuania from 14 to 27 July.
"I'm very much looking forward to working with our new coach Roberto Pätzold. After a hopefully successful Euros I want to bring that back to Leverkusen straightaway," said Mickenhagen: "I've got the best opportunity and facilities here to be able to continue my development and I want to get as much time on the pitch as possible in the Bundesliga in the coming season."
Werkself player Ibrahim Maza has been named in the top ten in the ‘Men’s Young Talent of the Year’ category for 2026. The 20-year-old was at the London Palladium on Monday evening for the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony. Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO, also attended the ceremony. Lamine Yamal of Barcelona was named the winner in the ‘Men’s Young Talent of the Year’ category.
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Bayer 04 will have to manage without forward Moussa Diaby for their upcoming matches. The 27-year-old Frenchman sustained a thigh injury in the 3-0 defeat against TSG Hoffenheim yesterday afternoon, Sunday 25 October. Diaby is expected to be available again after the international break in November.
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The Bayer 04 U19s are set to host Marseille in a top-level friendly. The match against the French side is at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on Thursday, 5 November, at 14:00 CET. Admission is free for fans. A few hours later, the two clubs face each other in the Europa League at the BayArena.
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It has been a long time since feeling what it’s like to come away empty-handed. The last – and so far only – defeat of the season, in Elversberg, was two months ago. Since then, Bayer 04 have followed that up with seven wins and a draw. Now it has happened again away to TSG Hoffenheim. As the match progressed, the Werkself grew in confidence and “could even have scored the opening goal”, as Robert Andrich said after the game. In the end, it was the side from Sinsheim who sealed a 3–0 victory after “hectic closing stages” (kicker). The Werkself review.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04 Women's 0-2 loss at 1. FC Nürnberg on Matchday 8 of the 2026/27 Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga.
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