
The players have been back on the pitch together since 8 September. After discussions with Dr Karl-Heinrich Dittmar, medical director and pandemics officer at Bayer 04, and the management at the Kurtekotten Academy, training was moved to the Kurt-Rieß-Anlage pitch to avoid coming into contact with other teams and to maintain the hygiene protocols. A large number of players were back for the first week of training.
The Bayer 04 Veterans have their first game since the enforced break in two weeks time. The Black and Reds are away to the team from the Rhineland Palatinate SG Hoppstädten-Weiersbach in the German Over 40s Cup on Saturday, 3 October. The competition was interrupted in March by the coronavirus pandemic. All clubs still involved in the competition have declared they want to complete the cup by the end of the year while adhering to all the health and safety measures.
The Bayer 04 Over 40s team beat SV 04 Attendorn 1-0 in the first round of the cup last November.


Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and Bayer 04 loanee Francis Onyeka are part of Germany's final squad for the U19 European Championships this summer. The tournament is in Wales from 24 June to 12 July.
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Bayer 04 are away to third-division club SV Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal. That was the outcome of the draw on Saturday night, 6 June, at the German Football Museum in Dortmund. The Werkself first round tie will be played between 21 and 24 August. The exact date has yet to be finalised.
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Carles Martìnez is raring to go. The 42-year-old speaks in his first interview in Leverkusen about the club's development to date and how he wants to build on it. He describes his previous work in France, Kuwait, Qatar and his native Barcelona, his experience in developing young players, and the key steps between now and the start of pre-season training.
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New Bayer 04 head coach Carles Martínez has arrived in Leverkusen! At midday on Friday, the 42-year-old spoke in a press conference at the BayArena about his philosophy and his aims. Managing director sport Simon Rolfes also discussed the reasons for appointing the former Toulouse boss.
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