By Rune Gjerulff@runegjerulff

Lars Bender confirms he will not play again

Bayer Leverkusen veteran Lars Bender has confirmed he has played the last game of his career.
Lars Bender.
Lars Bender.Photo: Bayer 04 Leverkusen
It's been a while since it was announced that Bayer Leverkusen twin brothers Lars and Sven Bender will be hanging up their boots at the end of the season.

Unfortunately, it's now clear that Lars Bender has made the last appearance of his career due to persistent knee problems.

"The knee hasn't developed as I would have liked. I will definitely not play again. The body is not an instrument that you should use for experiments," said Lars Bender in an interview with Kicker.

"It's not the farewell I had imagined," added the 32-year-old.

Bender last featured for Leverkusen in a Bundesliga game against Wolfsburg in January. In total, he has played 341 games for 'Die Werkself', racking up 26 goals and 36 assists.

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