In addition to key player Alejandro Grimaldo, long-term absentees Lucas Vazquez, Axel Tape and Ezequiel Fernandez also took part in Tuesday’s final training session ahead of the game against Newcastle. The latter two are on the verge of returning to the squad.
It is the key personnel question at Bayer 04. Can Alejandro Grimaldo, who had to miss Saturday’s 2–0 defeat away to Augsburg, feature against Newcastle United in the Champions League on Wednesday night The mood around the club has brightened noticeably since Tuesday lunchtime, because the Spanish international stepped out onto the Ulrich Haberland Stadium pitch with his teammates for the final training session before the game and took part in the key parts of the workout.
For Bayer, that simple image of Grimaldo jogging out with the group carried a lot of meaning. In Augsburg, his absence had been felt in almost every phase of the game. Without him drifting inside from the left, the build up play lacked its usual clarity, the combinations on that flank were easier for the opposition to read and the team struggled to find their normal rhythm between the lines. Inside the club it has been made clear that the decision to rest him at the weekend was related to load management and not to a new problem. That makes the latest step all the more encouraging. If the medical staff do not detect any adverse reaction to Tuesday’s workload and the player himself gives the green light afterwards, there is a strong expectation that he will be in the starting eleven against the Premier League side currently sitting twelfth in the table.
On the tactical board Grimaldo is still listed as a left back, but his actual role in Kasper Hjulmand’s system is far more complex and modern. When Bayer have possession, he regularly moves away from the touchline into the left half space, often taking up positions that resemble a left sided number ten. From there he connects the central midfield with the attack, offers a passing option behind the first line of pressure and dictates the tempo with his precise left foot. He can play short combinations to unpick compact blocks, thread vertical passes into the striker’s feet or switch the play with diagonals that immediately drag the opposition across the pitch.
This transformation from classical full back into hybrid playmaker has been one of the defining features of Bayer’s season. Many of their most fluid attacking moves have started with Grimaldo receiving in a crowded area, turning away from pressure and playing a disguised ball into a runner breaking in behind. Add to that his dangerous deliveries from free kicks and corners and the picture becomes clear. When he is not there, Bayer lose a lot of their natural variety on the ball. It is no surprise that, ahead of a decisive European night on matchday six of the Champions League group stage, the first question everyone asks is whether he will be fit to start at 21:00 on Wednesday against Newcastle.
The significance of this game goes beyond the pure mathematics of the group. Even if some objectives may already be secured, home matches under the floodlights in this competition are always a kind of shop window. Points affect the club’s coefficient and future seeding, strong performances shape international perception and, just as importantly, positive experiences in such games feed into the squad’s confidence for the rest of the season. Facing a physically strong and intense English opponent, Bayer need their best press resistant players on the pitch, and Grimaldo is high on that list.
The good news on Tuesday was not limited to him. As the session progressed, there were more faces returning from the treatment room. Axel Tape, the highly rated defensive talent, continued his comeback after a muscle tendon injury in his thigh. His reintegration into full team training had been pencilled in for some time, and the coaching staff now see him as close to a return to the matchday squad, at least as an option from the bench that can cover several positions in the back line and add energy late in games.
Even more surprising was the presence of Ezequiel Fernandez. The Argentine holding midfielder had damaged ligaments in his knee at the end of October, an injury that initially pointed to a longer stretch on the sidelines. The internal planning had therefore been conservative. Coach Kasper Hjulmand and the medical department had circled the away match in Leipzig on 20 October as a possible comeback date, and even that was mentioned only with the clear caveat that everything would have to go perfectly in his rehabilitation.
On Tuesday morning, that scenario suddenly moved forward. Fernandez joined the group from the start, took part in the intense rondos, pressed aggressively in the small sided games and did not shy away from duels. Observers noted that his changes of direction looked natural and that he moved with the kind of confidence that is usually the last piece to return after a knee problem. For a 23 year old whose game is based on anticipation, tackling and covering large spaces in front of the back four, these are crucial signals.
If his knee shows no reaction overnight, the discussion inside the staff will change quickly. Instead of only thinking about Leipzig in a few weeks, Fernández could become a realistic option for the matchday squad already this week. The first opportunity would be the Bundesliga encounter against 1. FC Köln on Saturday, which might offer a slightly more controlled environment for his first minutes back. However, even an appearance on the bench against Newcastle no longer seems completely unrealistic if the next medical checks are positive.
His potential return would significantly strengthen Bayer’s structure in the centre of the pitch. During his spell out injured, others have had to assume extra defensive responsibility in midfield and play more minutes than ideal. Fernandez brings balance with his ability to sit in front of the defence, intercept passes, win second balls and then play simple but effective passes into the more creative players. When he is available, Hjulmand can rotate his midfield more sensibly across three competitions and adjust his approach more flexibly to different opponents.
Alongside these encouraging updates, there is one case where caution remains the dominant word. Lucas Vazquez, who has been missing since the start of October with persistent back problems, also emerged for Tuesday’s session and joined in at least the opening part of the work with the ball. After more than two months of rehabilitation, simply seeing him again with the group was a positive sign for coaches and teammates. However, the club is acutely aware that back issues of this type can be very sensitive. A quick increase in intensity or an early return to competitive action could easily trigger a setback that would rule him out for another extended period.
Therefore, an immediate comeback to the matchday squad is not expected in his case. Bayer’s medical staff have been extremely conservative with Vazquez up to now and will continue to weigh every next step carefully. A more realistic target appears to be the Leipzig match, a fixture that falls in a phase where squad depth may become a serious issue. Because of the Africa Cup of Nations, which runs from 21 December to 18 January, Bayer could be without up to five players who must join their national teams from 15 December. If several regulars are away at the same time, a fully recovered and match fit Vazquez, with his ability to fill different roles on the right flank and his experience in high pressure games, would be particularly valuable.
Taken together, the images from Tuesday’s final training session offer Bayer 04 a cautiously optimistic outlook ahead of the decisive week. The likely return of Grimaldo would restore one of the central pillars of their attacking and build up play, Fernandez’s unexpectedly quick progress opens up new options in the holding role, Tape is edging closer to a place in the matchday squad and even Vazquez has taken an important step on the long road back. For a team that has had to improvise at times because of injuries, the timing could hardly be better. Just as the Champions League group stage reaches its climax and the domestic schedule becomes more demanding, Bayer seem to be moving steadily back toward something close to full strength.
Updated: 02:12, 9 Dec 2025
