After an individual warm-up inside the new gym at Kurtekotten, Pätzold first spoke to the team inside the changing room before they headed out onto the pitch. There were six players missing on Monday. Loreen Bender, who signed a new contract to 2027 before Christmas, is still recovering from an operation on her tonsils, while Caroline Kehrer, Katharina Piljic and Anne Moll were all ill. Synne Skinnes Hansen is still in light training after her thigh injury, with Vanessa Haim completing her rehabilitation programme following a persistent back problem. However, Paulina Bartz did take some part in training after several setbacks had hampered her return in recent months. Goalkeeper Louisa Remien and Paula Schwartze from the U20s and Kirkellis Lillements also joined the squad. Estonian Lillements, who featured in the 4-0 friendly win over Zwolle a few weeks ago, is set to play for the U20s but will also take part in some training sessions with the first team.
This mild January day saw the team begin with various passing and running drills before Pätzold had his players try out some six-v-two scenarios. The focus then switched to positional play before an eight-a-side match to finish the first session of 2025.
Leverkusen play their first game of the new year with a friendly at Kurtekotten against Anderlecht on Friday, 10 January at 2.30pm CET. Two days later the team will head to Spain for an eight-day training camp in Oliva between 12 and 19 January, with two friendly matches also planned. Although the Bundesliga season doesn’t fully resume until Friday, 31 January, when the Werkself visit Eintracht Frankfurt (6.30pm), Bayer 04 do have a competitive fixture the previous week as they play their replayed Matchday 1 fixture away at Freiburg on Sunday, 26 January (12pm). You can find out more about the women’s plans for the winter break HERE.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended Abdoulaye Faye’s contract by a further year to 30 June 2031. During the 2026/27 season, the talented defender will play for Celta Vigo on loan without an option to buy. The 21-year-old Senegalese is set to feature in La Liga and the UEFA Europa League with last season’s sixth-placed side in Spain.
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The Werkself's training camp in Weimarer Land all in one place: in our daily blog you'll find all the insights and updates from the day. The programme on day one (Sunday 2 August) includes a media round with managing director sport Simon Rolfes, free time for the team after the friendly against Rot-Weiss Essen and before an intensive week of training begins, as well as a coffee get-together where CEO Fernando Carro and Rolfes met around 100 fans in the afternoon.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have agreed Kerim Alajbegovic’s transfer to Italian record champions Juventus. The club brought the 18-year-old attacking player back to Leverkusen this summer via a buy-back option, following a season at Red Bull Salzburg. Until his move to Austria, the Bosnia international had been playing for Bayer 04’s Under-19s.
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A warm welcome to the Weimarer Land, Bayer 04! The Werkself moved into their accommodation for this year’s training camp on Saturday evening. In Blankenhain, Thuringia, head coach Carles Martínez’s team have a programme of gruelling training sessions – several of which will be open to fans – and team-building activities lined up for the next six days. We’ll be following the Werkself up close and providing you with exclusive insights, quotes, photos and videos from the training camp.
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With 22 days to go until the start of the Bundesliga campaign, the Bayer 04 Women’s team have gained a fresh boost of confidence. In a friendly against Belgian top-flight side KRC Genk on Saturday afternoon, coach Roberto Pätzold’s team secured a 1–0 win. Lobke Loonen (20’) scored the winner for the Black and Reds at the Kurtekotten training centre.
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