International break: Diaby versus Hradecky – Aránguiz versus Hincapie
The training ground at the BayArena will be noticeably less populated after the Augsburg match. 14 Werkself players are away on international duty.
Florian Wirtz is flying the flag for Bayer 04 with the Germany squad for the forthcoming three World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein (2 September, 20.45 CEST), Armenia (5 September, 20.45 CEST) and Iceland (8 September, 20.45 CEST). The new Germany coach Hansi Flick announced his call-up on Friday.
Wirtz, who was in the squad for the first game against Iceland (3-0) plus the matches against Romania (1-0) and North Macedonia (1-2), can again hope to make his senior debut for Germany. There are another 13 Werkself players on international duty in addition to the 18-year-old.
Mitchel Bakker and Jeremie Frimpong have been selected for the Netherlands U21 team. The Bayer 04 duo are with the Oranje for the European championship qualifier against Moldova on Tuesday, 7 September at 18.45 CEST.
Hradecky and Pohjanpalo against Diaby
The Leverkusen captain Lukas Hradecky and striker Joel Pohjanpalo are with the Finland squad for three matches – a friendly against Wales (1 September) plus two World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan (4 September) and France (7 September). The two Scandinavians will face their teammate Moussa Diaby. France coach Didier Deschamps called up the 22-year-old to the World Cup winners squad for the first time on Thursday.
Also away with their national teams are Charles Aránguiz (Chile) and Piero Hincapie (Ecuador) with the two of them set to face each other in the World Cup qualifier between Chile and Ecuador (5 September). The Bayer 04 South American group is completed by Exequiel Palacios, who has been called up to the Argentina squad: The team around including Lionel Messi play Venezuela (2 September), Brazil (5 September) and Bolivia (9 September).
Sertdemir with denmark U17 team
Also away on international duty other Leverkusen players Odilon Kossounou (Ivory Coast), Andrey Lunev (Russia), Panagiotis Retsos (Greece), Zidan Sertdemir (Denmark U17) and Emrehan Gedikli (Germany U19s).
international fixtures involving bayer 04 players
Charles Aránguiz (World Cup qualifiers)
2.9. Chile vs Brazil, Santiago
5.9. Ecuador vs Chile, Quito
9.9. Colombia vs Chile, Bogota
Mitchel Bakker and Jeremie Frimpong (U21 Euro qualifiers)
7.9. Netherlands vs Moldova, Deventer
Moussa Diaby (World Cup qualifiers)
1.9. France vs Bosnia-Herzegovina, Strasbourg
4.9. Ukraine vs France, Kiev
7.9. France vs Finland, Lyon
Emrehan Gedikli (U19 friendlies)
3.9. Germany vs Switzerland, Bad Dürrheim
6.9. Germany vs England, Bad Dürrheim
Piero Hincapie (World Cup qualifiers)
2.9. Ecuador vs Paraguay, Quito
5.9. Ecuador vs Chile, Quito
9.9. Uruguay vs Ecuador, Montevideo
Lukas Hradecky and Joel Pohjanpalo (World Cup qualifiers)
1.9. Finland vs Wales, Helsinki (Friendly)
4.9. Finland vs Kazakhstan, Helsinki
7.9. France vs Finland, Lyon
Odilon Kossounou (World Cup qualifiers)
1.9. Mozambique vs Ivory Coast, Maputo
6.9. Ivory Coast vs Cameroon, Abidjan
Andrey Lunev (World Cup qualifiers)
1.9. Russia vs Croatia, Moscow
4.9. Cyprus vs Russia, Nicosia
7.9. Russia vs Malta, Moscow
Exequiel Palacios (World Cup qualifiers)
2.9. Venezuela vs Argentina, San Cristobal
5.9. Brazil vs Argentina, Rio de Janeiro
9.9. Argentina vs Bolivia, Buenos Aires
Panos Retsos (World Cup qualifiers)
1.9. Switzerland vs Greece, Basel
5.9. Kosovo vs Greece, Pristina
8.9. Greece vs Sweden, Athens
Zidan Sertdemir (U17 friendlies)
3.9. Denmark vs Austria, Skagen
6.9. Denmark vs Austria, Frederikshavn
Florian Wirtz (World Cup qualifiers)
2.9. Liechtenstein vs Germany, St. Gallen
5.9. Germany vs Armenia, Stuttgart
8.9. Iceland vs Germany, Reykjavik
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