12 Werkself players on international duty

Germany play Israel in Sinsheim on Saturday 26 March (kick-off: 20.45 CET) in the first international in the World Cup year of 2022. That is followed three days later by the classic fixture against the Netherlands with the kick-off also at 20.45 CEST. Jonathan Tah is again in the Germany squad as was the case with the last international break in November. The 26-year-old, at Leverkusen since 2015, has 14 full international caps to date.

Leverkusen players go head-to-head

The day before the first friendly for Germany, there is a head-to-head clash between Werkself players in Marseille: Moussa Diaby has been called up to the World Cup winners squad for France and Odilon Kossounou is again in the Ivory Coast squad. The kick-off is at 21.15 CET.

There is also a Leverkusen head-to-head in the South American World Cup qualifiers: Ecuador, with Piero Hincapie, entertain Argentina, including teammate Exequiel Palacios, on Wednesday 30 March (kick-off: 01.30 CEST). While the second-placed La Albiceleste are already qualified for the tournament in Qatar, Ecuador also have a good chance of qualifying in third place. Hincapie and Co. have two games to play with a four-point advantage over the play-off spot of fifth.

Frimpong's senior debut has to wait

Right-back Jeremie Frimpong was also due to be on international duty – and it would have been a very special occasion for him: The 21-year-old had been called up to the Netherlands full international squad for the first time. Frimpong suffered an ankle injury in last weekend's 1-0 derby defeat against FC Köln and he will be sidelined for the rest of the season. The Netherlands have friendlies against Denmark (26 March) and Germany (29 March).

International fixtures:

Jonathan Tah (Germany):

Saturday 26 March: Germany vs Israel (Friendly)

Tuesday 29 March: Netherlands vs Germany (Friendly)

Moussa Diaby (France):

Friday 25 March: France vs Ivory Coast (Friendly)

Tuesday 29 March: France vs South Africa (Friendly)

Lukas Hradecky (Finland):

Saturday 26 March: Finland vs Israel (Friendly)

Tuesday 29 March: Finland vs Slovakia (Friendly)

Exequiel Palacios (Argentina):

Saturday 26 March: Argentina vs Venezuela (World Cup qualifier)

Wednesday 30 March: Ecuador vs Argentina (World Cup qualifier)

Charles Aránguiz (Chile):

Friday 25 March: Brazil vs Chile (World Cup qualifier)

Wednesday 30 March: Chile vs Uruguay (World Cup qualifier)

Piero Hincapie (Ecuador):

Friday 25 March: Paraguay vs Ecuador (World Cup qualifier)

Wednesday 30 March: Ecuador vs Argentina (World Cup qualifier)

Odilon Kossounou (Ivory Coast):

Friday 25 March: France vs Ivory Coast (Friendly)

Tuesday 29 March: England vs Ivory Coast (Friendly)

Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso):

Thursday 24 March: Kosovo vs Burkina Faso (Friendly)

Tuesday 29 March: Belgium vs Burkina Faso (Friendly)

Sardar Azmoun (Iran):

Thursday 24 March: South Korea vs Iran (World Cup qualifier)

Tuesday 29 March: Iran vs Lebanon (World Cup qualifier)

Amine Adli (France U21):

Thursday 24 March: France U21 vs Faroe Isles U21 (Euros qualifier)

Monday 28 March: France U21 vs Northern Ireland U21 (Friendly)

Mitchel Bakker (Netherlands U21):

Friday 25 March: Bulgaria U21 vs Netherlands U21 (Euros qualifier)

Tuesday 29 March: Netherlands U21 vs Switzerland U21 (Euros qualifier)

Iker Bravo (Spain U17):

Wednesday 23 March: Bosnia-Herzegovina U17 vs Spain U17 (Euros qualifier)

Saturday 26 March: Spain U17 vs Belgium U17 (Euros qualifier)

Tuesday 29 March: Estonia U17 vs Spain U17 (Euros qualifier)