Sunshine greeted the Werkself again. The heat wave is continuing in North-Rhine Westphalia and in Salzburger Land. However, Heiko Herrlich and his fellow coaches cannot be too concerned with that in the pre-season given the need to compete in three different competitions this term. So the intensity in training remained high – even though there was less focus on fitness work in training today. "We're going to give our all. There is a certain weariness but training camps are always pretty exhausting – that's the way it is in the pre-season," said Mitchell Weiser in neatly summing up the situation. Even practising tactics in temperatures of over 35 degrees can get the adrenalin flowing. It was a good job the opportunity was there to cool off in the water of the neighbouring Lake Zell. In a repeat of yesterday, the coach instructed the group to go there en masse. This time, head coach Heiko Herrlich and fitness coach Schahriar Bigdeli also ventured into the water. Moreover: After fulfilling countless autograph requests, Germany international Julian Brandt once again demonstrated his acrobatic talent...
After the Werkself group training at the Alois Latini Stadium numbered 28 in the morning, there were five absentees at the second session of the day: Lukas Hradecky, Lars and Sven Bender, Karim Bellarabi and Charles Aránguiz stayed behind at the team hotel in Kaprun to complete individual regimes. There was no reason for the medical section to be worried: Apart from keeper Hradecky, who is only able to do light work as he recovers from the operation on his jaw, the simple reason applying to the four outfield players was ensuring they were not overstretched.
As with last season, Herrlich and Co. ensured attention was not solely focused on football – watching films was on the agenda again. On Tuesday evening, the Werkself came together at the end of the day to watch the 'Foreman' documentary on the screen in the press room. The film is about the story of the famous American boxer George Foreman who made one of the biggest comebacks in the history of sport. The choice of film was not a surprise as the Bayer 04 head coach often stressed in the past how important mentality is in football too.
An old tradition was revived on Tuesday morning in Zell am See after the first session: On the pitch next to the Alois Latini Stadium there was a game between a Bayer 04 team (including fan and social affairs director Meinolf Sprink, club legend Hans-Peter Lehnoff and Lennard Coert from the sports management) and some 30 Werkself fans, with members of the ultras scene and friends who have followed the Werkself to the training camp in Salzburger Land. The match played on half the pitch lasted 45 minutes and ended in a 16-2 win for the Bayer 04 team.
Tuesday afternoon turned out to be special for Sam Schreck: For the first time in his professional career, the 19-year-old Werkself winger gave an interview to the Rheinische Post. But the youngster was not the only player asked for a media interview on day three: His team-mates Lars and Sven Bender plus Jonathan Tah faced the press in the afternoon as is usual at training camps.
His father has worked for Leverkusen since 2016 in the youth section. Mitchell Weiser joined the Bayer 04 family this summer. After spells in Munich, Kaiserslautern and Berlin, it was almost a return to his hometown for the man born in Troisdorf (Rhein-Sieg district). The 24-year-old revealed he would soon be a father in an interview with Bayer 04 TV. Beyond that, the right back was really keen to get involved with the Bayer 04 Instagram story on Tuesday. Talking of which: Via the hashtag #B04inAustria (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook) it is possible to keep up-to-date with the Werkself in Salzburger Land round the clock. It's worth a look.
After Jens Nowotny was officially named a Bayer 04 honorary captain last weekend, the long-standing Werkself player is part of the Leverkusen delegation on the trophy tour to New York City next week from 11 to 14 September. In an interview with bayer04.de, the 50-year-old talked about his expectations ahead of the trip to the metropolis on the East Coast of the USA.
Show moreThe German Football League (DFL) has confirmed the dates and kick-off times for matchdays 6 to 12 of the 2024/25 Bundesliga season. Full details of the Bayer 04 fixtures.
Show moreMarkus Rehm, a long jumper at TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, won the gold medal for the fourth time in succession at the Paralympics on Wednesday.
Show moreThe fixture details for the second round of the DFB Pokal 2024/25 have been confirmed. The home tie for Bayer 04 against second division SV 07 Elversberg is on Tuesday, 29 October with the kick off at 18.00 CET (live on Sky). That was announced by the German Football Association (DFB) on Thursday.
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