The 75-minute appearance in the 4-1 home win against TSG Hoffenheim was the last in 2020 for Lars Bender. The vice-captain was due to play at right-back in the following away game at FC Köln (4-0) but suffered an injury in the warm-up. The 31-year-old, who is set to hang up his boots in the summer like his brother Sven Bender, has been forced to watch from the sidelines since then.
Lars Bender rejoined his team-mates for the first time on Monday following rehab and individual sessions during the festive season. And left-back Daley Sinkgraven also took part in the first session of the week after recovering from a Covid-19 infection with a period of self-isolation. Hopes are high that the duo will be back in the first team squad for the next home game against Werder Bremen on Saturday 9 January (kick-off: 15.30 CET).
In his four years under the Bayer Cross, Christoph Daum three times led the Werkself to finish runners-up in the Bundesliga. The 67-year-old was at the helm at Leverkusen from 1996 to October 2000 – and he made a lasting impression on the supporters. In the votes for the Bundesliga All-Stars 2019, he gained the most votes from Bayer 04 fans amongst all the coaches.
Daum recently talked about a current and a former player of his former club from Leverkusen in an interview with Sport1. He deemed comparisons between the youngsters Florian Wirtz, who has been at the Werkself for one year, and Kai Havertz (Chelsea) to be misplaced. Daum: "I can't stand hearing it. Wirtz is not a new Havertz. Please let the lad develop and don't immediately make him the new Havertz and next superstar."
The 17-year-old Germany U21 international does have great potential but should "go his own way and develop his own style." Wirtz is an "incredibly talented player and should be given time," added Daum.
The 18-months at Leverkusen represent a section of his already impressive career that Toni Kroos would not like to forget. In 2018, the central midfield player, who has now been at Real Madrid for six years, said to SPORT BILD: "I've got very good memories of Leverkusen and I'm grateful I had the chance there to improve and perform consistently. It was an incredibly important time in my career."
Born in Greifswald, Kroos joined Bayer 04 on loan from Bayern Munich in January 2009 and he went on to make 43 Bundesliga appearances for the Black and Reds before returning to Munich. The 2014 World Cup winner celebrates his 31st birthday on Monday. Bayer 04 wish Toni: happy birthday!
Bayer 04 TV bring you the best goals, assists and magic moments from our former number 39 in a Werkself shirt. Watch the video HERE.
The Werkself entertain Werder Bremen at the BayArena on Bundesliga Matchday 25. The game kicks off at 15:30 CET today Saturday, 8 March, alongside a number of events. Matchday news brings you the latest information on the clash with the team lying twelfth in the Bundesliga.
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The Werkself are finally back at the BayArena three weeks after the last home game. Ahead of the clash against Werder Bremen on Saturday, 8 March (kick-off: 15:30 CET), head coach Xabi Alonso talked about the rhythm of the weeks with midweek matches and the reverse fixture in Bremen.
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Werder Bremen are currently going through a tricky phase. The Green and Whites have lost their last five games in succession. The team under coach Ole Werner did make a very promising start to the season. Can the team lying twelfth in the Bundesliga secure a turnaround at the double winners on Saturday, 8 March (kick-off 15:30 CET)? The lowdown on our next opponents.
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The Werkself are looking for their tenth win of the season in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga after four games without a win and a three-week league break. Despite the negative aspects of recent weeks, coach Roberto Pätzold is confident his team can return to winning ways against FC Carl Zeiss Jena on Sunday (kick-off: 18:30 CET at the ad hoc arena at the Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld).
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