Goalkeeper Lennart Grill and rising star Florian Wirtz are set to play for Germany in the quest for the U21 EURO title from 31 May. Stefan Kuntz called up the Werkself duo on Sunday afternoon for his squad for the knockout phase. Grill, Wirtz and Co. secured progress in the first part of the two-section tournament by finishing second in Group A. The opponents in the quarter-finals are Denmark.
Four Bayer 04 players are involved in the European Championship: While the Austrians including Aleksandar Dragovic and Austria captain Julian Baumgartlinger face the Netherlands, Ukraine and North Macedonia in Group C, the Czech Republic team, with Bayer 04 striker Patrik Schick, take on Scotland, England and Croatia in Group D.
Markku Kanerva, in charge of Finland, can count on the services of Werkself keeper Lukas Hradecky. The 31-year-old was able to celebrate participation in the group stage of a European Championship for the first time with Finland. Also in the squad: Joel Pohjanpalo who is currently on loan at Union Berlin.
At the same time as EURO 2020, there will also be football on the South American continent. Werkself captain Charles Aránguiz is currently involved with Chile in the World Cup qualifiers as well as the Copa América being staged in Argentina and Colombia. The midfielder played the full 90 minutes in five out of six games in the South American equivalent of the European Championship two years ago.
The Argentina duo Exequiel Palacios and Lucas Alario have also being called up for the Albiceleste squad but it appears unlikely the two Werkself players will be able to play in the South American championship due to a groin injury (Palacios) and a thigh injury (Alario).
Edmond Tapsoba and Moussa Diaby are also on the road with their national teams. The Bayer 04 defender is set to play for Burkina Faso in two friendlies against the Ivory Coast and Morocco a week later. Diaby and his French teammates are already well advanced in the U21 European Championship – after successfully progressing through the group stage, which finished at the end of March, the U21 Équipe Tricolore team trained by Silvain Ripoll meet the Netherlands for a place in the semi-finals.
Lennart Grill and Florian Wirtz (Germany U21s):
Monday, 31 May (21.00 CEST): Denmark U21 v Germany U21 (U21 Euro quarter-final)
Thursday, 3 June (18/21.00 CEST): potential U21 Euro semi-final
Sunday, 6 June (21.00 CEST): potential U21 Euro semi-final
Aleksandar Dragovic and Julian Baumgartlinger (Austria):
Wednesday, 2 June (21.00 CEST): England v Austria (Friendly)
Sunday, 6 June (17.30 CEST): Austria v Slovakia (Friendly)
Sunday, 13 June (18.00 CEST): Austria v North Macedonia (EURO)
Thursday, 17 June (21.00 CEST): Netherlands v Austria (EURO)
Monday, 21 June (18.00 CEST): Ukraine v Austria (EURO)
Lukas Hradecky (Finland):
Saturday, 29 May (18.00 CEST): Sweden v Finland (Friendly)
Friday, 4 June (18.00 CEST): Finland v Estonia (Friendly)
Saturday 12 June (18.00 CEST): Denmark v Finland (EURO)
Wednesday, 16 June (15.00 CEST): Finland v Russia (EURO)
Monday, 21 June (21.00 CEST): Finland v Belgium (EURO)
Patrik Schick (Czech Republic):
Friday 4 June (20.45 CEST): Italy v Czech Republic (Friendly)
Tuesday, 8 June (20.15 CEST): Czech Republic v Albania (Friendly)
Monday, 14 June (15.00 CEST): Scotland v Czech Republic (EURO)
Friday, 18 June (18.00 CEST): Croatia v Czech Republic (EURO)
Tuesday, 22 June (21.00 CEST): Czech Republic v England (EURO)
Charles Aránguiz (Chile):
Friday, 4 June (02.00 CEST): Argentina v Chile (World Cup qualifier)
Wednesday, 9 June (03.30 CEST): Chile v Bolivia (World Cup qualifier)
Sunday, 13 June (23.00 CEST): Argentina v Chile (Copa América)
Thursday, 17 June (23.00 CEST): Chile v Bolivia (Copa América)
Sunday, 20 June (22.00 CEST): Uruguay v Chile (Copa América)
Lucas Alario and Exequiel Palacios (Argentina):
Friday, 4 June (02.00 CEST): Argentina v Chile (World Cup qualifier)
Wednesday, 9 June (01.00 CEST): Colombia v Argentina (World Cup qualifier)
Sunday, 13 June (23.00 CEST): Argentina v Chile (Copa América)
Friday, 18 June (02.00 CEST): Argentina v Uruguay (Copa América)
Monday, 21 June (01.00 CEST): Argentina v Paraguay (Copa América)
Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso):
Saturday, 5 June (14.00 CEST): Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso (Friendly)
Saturday, 12 June (21.00 CEST): Morocco v Burkina Faso (Friendly)
Moussa Diaby (France U21):
Monday, 31 May (18.00 CEST): Netherlands U21 v France U21 (U21 EURO quarter-final)
Thursday, 3 June (18/21.00 CEST): potential U21 EURO semi-final
Sunday, 6 June (21.00 CEST): potential U21 EURO semi-final
*Central European Summer Time (CEST)
There won’t just be plenty of excitement on the pitch as Bayer 04 host Borussia Dortmund at the BayArena at 18:30 CET on Saturday. Outside the stadium there will be collection points for food donations to the Leverkusen Foodbank, which will also benefit from the profits of a jersey raffle in the Fanwelt afterwards. There will also be a minute’s silence before kick-off following the passing of long-time Werkself player Dieter Herzog, before two fan clubs are honoured for their decades-long support at half-time and fans receive a talk about Orange Day, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game in our matchday news.
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Bayer 04 go into the first of two successive clashes with Borussia Dortmund boosted by their Champions League win at Manchester City. Ahead of the Bundesliga top match on Saturday, 29 November (kick-off: 18:30 CET), coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke about the tight schedule, BVB's strengths and returning squad members.
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Borussia Dortmund are doing very well in terms of points and results in the Bundesliga, the DFB Pokal and the UEFA Champions League. BVB have only suffered two defeats to date this term. Now coach Niko Kovac's team are away to the Werkself on Saturday night, 29 November (kick-off: 18:30 CET) in the top match on Bundesliga matchday 12. The two teams meet again three days later in the DFB Pokal Round of 16 tie in Dortmund. Two very competitive encounters are on the cards. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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The Bayer 04 Women clcoked up a 3-2 win in a friendly against Twente Enschede on Thursday afternoon in the last international break of 2025. In drizzle, Lilla Turanyi (16’), Kristin Kögel (65’) and Paulina Bartz (69’) scored the goals for the Werkself against the Dutch Eredivisie Vrouwen leaders, who are still unbeaten in the league.
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