As part of their 12-day trip to Germany, a visit to Leverkusen was on the agenda after a friendly match against Schalke in the middle of the week. The visit started in the morning with an exclusive tour of the BayArena and ended at the Bundesliga team's training ground.
There, the young Australian players got to watch Edmond Tapsoba, Jonas Hofmann & Co. train under the guidance of Xabi Alonso and his coaching staff.
Jefta Bresser, head of the performance centre at Bayer 04, emphasised during the visit: “It's always interesting for us to see how football is played in other parts of the world. Such sporting comparisons and exchanges off the pitch are very important and helpful for all sides.”
After lunch, the Australian entourage then headed to the Kurtekotten performance centre, where a practice match against a mixed Bayer 04 U19/U17 team was the sporting highlight of the day. And it turned into an intense, high-scoring game in which it went back and forth. The lead changed hands time and again, with the match ultimately ending 5-4 in favour of the visiting Sydney side.
The Australian travelling party also included long-time Bundesliga player Alexander Baumjohann, now head of player management at the A-League club after two years as a player at Sydney FC. Following the match, the Bundesliga champion and two-time DFB Cup winner spoke of an “incredibly well-organised day by Bayer 04. I've never experienced anything like it. The club and the people in charge took great care of us, our players and we were very impressed.”
The contact between Sydney FC and Bayer 04 came about through Baumjohann and Simon Rolfes, managing director for sport at the current Bundesliga leaders. Baumjohann said: “We used to play against each other a lot and spoke a year or two ago. When it became clear that we would be taking part in the Easter tournament in Düsseldorf, I got in touch again, and that's how this wonderful day came about.”
Sydney FC are the first Australian club to take part in the international Easter tournament in Düsseldorf. From Thursday evening to Easter Monday, clubs from Germany and Sydney FC will face teams including Everton (England), Nordsjaelland (Denmark) and a Japanese university XI.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen is intensifying the existing cooperation with Business Club partner EDO Personalservice. The Cologne-based company will receive additional hospitality rights from the Bundesliga club as well as prominent advertising in and around the BayArena. EDO Personalservice provides jobs both on a temporary basis and by directly placing skilled workers in permanent positions at other companies.
Show moreGustavo Puerta has left Bayer 04 Leverkusen to join Spanish second division club Racing Santander.
Show morePiero Hincapie has left Bayer 04 Leverkusen to join Arsenal. The Premier League club has signed the 23-year-old on an initial season-long loan until the end of 2025/26 with an obligation to buy the Ecuador international defender, if certain conditions are met.
Show moreVictor Boniface has left Bayer Leverkusen on a season-long loan to fellow Bundesliga club Werder Bremen. The Nigerian centre forward joined the Werkself in January 2023 from Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise.
Show more¡Bienvenido a Leverkusen, Ezequiel ‘Equi’ Fernández! Bayer 04 have signed the Argentine midfielder from Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah. The left-footed 23-year-old, who got his first taste for professional football at Boca Juniors, has signed a contract in Leverkusen until 30 June 2030 and will wear the number 6 shirt. Bayer04.de takes a closer look at the 1.78-metre-tall new arrival.
Show more