Bernd Leno and Julian Brandt have been called up by Joachim Löw For Wednesday's friendly against England in Dortmund (20.45 CET) and the World Cup qualifier in Azerbaijan (18.00 CET) on Sunday 26 March. The match against the Three Lions at the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund is also a farewell appearance for Lukas Podolski who is set to make his 130th and last appearance for Germany. ‘Poldi’ made his full international debut in 2004 under the then national coach Rudi Völler.
Several Bayer 04 pros will face each other in these internationals. That applies to the World Cup qualifier in Group I between Turkey and Finland to be played on Friday 24 March at 18.00 CET in Antanya: Ömer Toprak and Joel Pohjanpalo could line up as direct opponents. And the same could apply in the following friendly for the Finns away to Austria on Tuesday 28 March when 'Danger' Pohjanpalo could face team-mates Aleksandar Dragovic and Julian Baumgartlinger in the Austrian team..
Tin Jedvaj and Croatia also have one World Cup cup qualifier and one friendly. In Group I, the leaders Croatia meet second-placed Ukraine and a victory would give them breathing space in top spot. Fourth-placed Turkey have to beat Finland to still be in with a chance of qualification.
Austria with Dragovic and Baumgartlinger – Bayer 04 keeper Ramazan Öczan announced his international retirement last week – are also under pressure against bottom-placed Moldova. Admir Mehmedi and Switzerland have a perfect record to date putting them top of World Cup qualification Group B with a maximum possible 12 points so far. A win in the home game against Latvia would only strengthen their current position. Slovenia, with Kevin Kampl, are also doing well in second place behind England in Group F. On Sunday 26 March they are away to Scotland who currently have four fewer points.
Chile cracker against Argentina
Chile and Charles Aránguiz have two important games in the South American World Cup qualifiers. Three points against bottom of the table Venezuelan are an absolute must in the second match on Wednesday 29 March. The previous game against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Friday night is a tougher prospect for Chile. The Chileans are fourth on 20 points and would qualify with a win while hosts Argentina are a point behind on course for the play-offs.
After two World Cup qualifiers, Mexico are in second place with four points, two behind leaders Costa Rica, who Chicharito and co. face in the Aztec Stadium in the night to Saturday. Following that, Mexico are in action again on Wednesday 29 March against Trinidad and Tobago on zero points.
The Germany U 21's, with Benjamin Henrichs, have friendly fixtures against England on Friday 24 March and Portugal on Monday 27 March. Turkey take on Moldova (Monday 27 March) and Croatia are away to Estonia (Tuesday 28 March). Werkself youngsters Atakan Akkaynak and Sam Schreck are set to play for the Germany U18s in two friendlies in France on 23 and 26 March.
The VBL Club Championship by WOW 2025/26 continues today, Tuesday 18 November, with the last two of the six online preliminary round matches in the second showdown. Starting at 18:00 CET, Bayer 04 face Karlsruher SC, followed by Borussia Mönchengladbach at 19:00 CET. The games will be streamed live on the Bayer 04 app and on the club Twitch channel. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Just 11 days after their last encounter in the Bundesliga, Bayer 04 Women meet Hamburger SV again. On Sunday (15:00 CET), the two teams will be battling it out at the Volksparkstadion for a place in the DFB Cup quarter-finals. Coach Roberto Pätzold is aware of his team's status as favourites against the promoted outfit - and knows what it will come down to against the awkward opponents.
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Bayer 04 Women goalkeeper Charlotte Voll has been hit by injury again. The 26-year-old suffered an acromioclavicular joint separation in her left shoulder in the latter stages of the Bundesliga match at SC Freiburg on Monday and is set to be sidelined for a number of months. She underwent successful surgery in Düsseldorf on Friday.
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Like they did in the first showdown of the VBL Club Championship by WOW, which the Leverkusen gamers won in spectacular style, Marc and Sean Landwehr also started the second showdown with six points by beating TSG Hoffenheim and VfL Bochum 1848, last-16 participants of the first showdown. The #B04eSports team suffered defeat to SV Darmstadt 98 and Hertha BSC. Meanwhile, Keanu Senkbeil made his VBL CC debut in the clash with the capital club.
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The Bayer 04 Women will end 2025 with the Bundesliga top match against Bayern Munich on Monday night, 22 December. The schedule for matchdays 12 to 15 has been announced by the German Football Association (DFB). In addition to two away games on Fridays, Leverkusen also have a home game on a Saturday lunchtime.
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