"I really feel at home here straightaway, the facilities are brilliant. The players have great energy and have invested a lot of passion on the pitch," said Pätzold on his first day of coaching: "The atmosphere was very positive and I have a good feeling that our new coaching team will work well together. I'll be happy if it carries on like that over the next few days." The 44-year-old coach was joined by the new assistant Friederike Mehring as well as the second assistant Remzi Kahraman, up to now an individual coach with the Bayer 04 Women..
Some members of the squad were absent: Sylwia Matysik and Lilla Turányi, who were in action with their national sides after the end of the season, are still on holiday. Melissa Friedrich (torn ankle ligament), Delice Boboy (exams), Anne Moll (Wisdom tooth operation), Estrella Merino Gonzalez (injured) and Charlotte Voll (shoulder operation) also missed the first training session.
Katharina Piljić, the first summer signing for the Leverkusen women's team, made her first outing on the training ground. The midfielder from SGS Essen joined the training session alongside Louisa Remien (keeper), Ida Daedelow, Nina Hainke, Chiara Kaiser, Jana Lindner and Sena Fukumoto from the Bayer 04 youth ranks. The sextet have a chance to make a name for themselves over the coming weeks.
After a warm-up routine and a couple of passing drills in restricted space, Pätzold started off by having his new team work with the ball. The second part of the session followed with a game on half the pitch.
The first friendly is on Saturday 29 June against second division FSV Gütersloh (Kick-off: 12.00 CEST, Kurtekotten Performance Centre). After two more friendlies and a two-week break there will be a training camp in Katowice from 31 July to 5 August. That will be followed by another three friendlies against European opponents. The 2024/25 Bundesliga season begins at the end of August. The Werkself are in action in the second round of the DFB Pokal a week later.
The summer agenda for the Women's team can be found HERE.
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