he Germany players are involved in the start of the European qualifiers for the forthcoming World Cup in Russia. Germany coach Joachim Löw has called up five Leverkusen players so that Bayer 04 and FC Bayern are providing the most players for the DFB squad. Julian Brandt, Kevin Volland, Bernd Leno and Jonathan Tah plus newcomer Benjamin Henrichs are hopeful of playing against San Marino. The match in the small stadium in Serravalle on Friday kicks off at 20.45 CET.
More matches follow at the weekend: Chicharito and Mexico face a prestigious encounter in Ohio with the neighbours USA under coach Jürgen Klinsmann. Ömer Toprak and Hakan Calhanoglu are in line to play for Turkey against Kosovo at the same time that Tin Jedvaj and Croatia face Iceland, the surprise package of Euro 2016. The final match on Saturday sees Austria with captain Julian Baumgartlinger, Aleksandar Dragovic and keeper Ramazan Özcan, who takes over in goal from the injured first choice Robert Almer, play Ireland. Admir Mehmedi is an action with Switzerland on Sunday against the Faroe Islands.
Private audience with the Pope
Robbie Kruse has been a regular choice for the Socceroos for years. Austria play Thailand on Tuesday 15 November and an interesting match in the Asiatic World Cup qualifiers. That evening, Germany play a friendly against Italy at the legendary Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan. Before that, the Leverkusen quintet and the other players in the Germany squad have a unique appointment: Jogi Löw and his players have a private audience with Pope Francis in Rome.
The final fixtures of the international break involving Bayer 04 players will are in America. Chicharito and Mexico play Panama a week on Wednesday, Charles Aránguiz and Chile face Colombia and then Uruguay.
International fixtures involving Bayer 04 players:
Thursday, 10.11., 21.30 CET: Colombia v Chile (Aránguiz)
Friday., 11.11., 20.45 CET: San Marino v Germany (Volland, Brandt, Leno, Tah, Henrichs)
Saturday., 12.11., 1.45 CET: USA v Mexico (Chicharito)
Saturday., 12.11., 18.00 CET: Turkey v Kosovo (Toprak, Calhanoglu)
Saturday., 12.11., 18.00 CET: Croatia v Island (Jedvaj)
Saturday., 12.11., 20.45 CET: Austria v Ireland (Baumgartlinger, Özcan, Dragovic)
Sunday., 13.11., 18.00 CET: Switzerland v Faroe Islands (Mehmedi)
Tuesday., 15.11., 13.00 CET: Thailand v Australia (Kruse)
Tuesday., 15.11., 20.45 CET: Italy v Germany (Volland, Brandt, Leno, Tah, Henrichs)
Tuesday., 15.11., 20.45 CET: Northern Ireland v Croatia (Jedvaj)
Tuesday., 15.11., 20.45 CET: Austria v Slovakia (Baumgartlinger, Özcan, Dragovic)
Wednesday., 16.11., 0.30 CET: Chile v Uruguay (Aránguiz)
Wednesday., 16.11., 3.05 CET: Panama v Mexico (Chicharito)
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended Abdoulaye Faye’s contract by a further year to 30 June 2031. During the 2026/27 season, the talented defender will play for Celta Vigo on loan without an option to buy. The 21-year-old Senegalese is set to feature in La Liga and the UEFA Europa League with last season’s sixth-placed side in Spain.
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The Werkself's training camp in Weimarer Land all in one place: in our daily blog you'll find all the insights and updates from the day. The programme on day one (Sunday 2 August) includes a media round with managing director sport Simon Rolfes, free time for the team after the friendly against Rot-Weiss Essen and before an intensive week of training begins, as well as a coffee get-together where CEO Fernando Carro and Rolfes met around 100 fans in the afternoon.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have agreed Kerim Alajbegovic’s transfer to Italian record champions Juventus. The club brought the 18-year-old attacking player back to Leverkusen this summer via a buy-back option, following a season at Red Bull Salzburg. Until his move to Austria, the Bosnia international had been playing for Bayer 04’s Under-19s.
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A warm welcome to the Weimarer Land, Bayer 04! The Werkself moved into their accommodation for this year’s training camp on Saturday evening. In Blankenhain, Thuringia, head coach Carles Martínez’s team have a programme of gruelling training sessions – several of which will be open to fans – and team-building activities lined up for the next six days. We’ll be following the Werkself up close and providing you with exclusive insights, quotes, photos and videos from the training camp.
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With 22 days to go until the start of the Bundesliga campaign, the Bayer 04 Women’s team have gained a fresh boost of confidence. In a friendly against Belgian top-flight side KRC Genk on Saturday afternoon, coach Roberto Pätzold’s team secured a 1–0 win. Lobke Loonen (20’) scored the winner for the Black and Reds at the Kurtekotten training centre.
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