
Leno looked focused and assured over the full 90 minutes in the 4-1 win and he was not at fault with the goal scored for the hosts by Dimitri Nazarov. It was Leno’s fourth cap for Germany. Julian Brandt, who played against England in Wednesday’s friendly, did not get the chance to make his sixth international appearance in Baku. Germany are well on course to qualify for next summer’s World Cup with a perfect record in the group to date.
Switzerland, with Admir Mehmedi in their ranks, have also picked up maximum points so far. The 26-year-old earned his 50th cap for Switzerland against Latvia and he provided the assist with a fine cross for the only goal of the game scored by former Leverkusen, and now Gladbach, striker Josip Drmic.
Kevin Kampl was the last Werkself player to appear over the weekend in Slovenia’s game against Scotland at Hampden Park. Kampl was substituted on 87 minutes just before Chris Martin scored the winner for Scots. Slovenia are third in Group F on eight points with England on top with 13 points.
Julian Baumgartlinger returned early from international duty on Sunday night. The Austria skipper is suffering with a toe injury ruling him out of Tuesday’s qualifier against Finland.


Midfielder Ruby Grant is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and joining Portuguese runners-up Sporting CP a year before her contract expires. The 24-year-old has been at the Werkself since January 2025.
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Bayer 04 have loaned Brazilian full-back Arthur to Bundesliga side Werder Bremen for one year. Arthur Augusto de Matos Soares – the full name of the right-back – has a contract with Leverkusen until 30 June 2031. At Werder, the 23-year-old is expected to make an impact and help the long-established club further consolidate their position in the Bundesliga.
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Bayer 04 have loaned defender Jeanuel Belocian to Spanish top-flight side Racing Santander. The 21-year-old defender joins the team currently ninth in La Liga until the end of the current 2026/27 season. Belocian’s contract remains valid until 30 June 2029. Last season, the 1.86-metre-tall U21 international was loaned to VfL Wolfsburg for six months.
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He knows the dressing room, the pitch and the club. But, above all, he knows the feeling of playing for the Werkself at the BayArena: Moussa Diaby is back in Leverkusen after three years. The lightning-fast winger has signed a contract with Bayer 04 until 2031 and he will once again wear the number 19 jersey. The left-footed player previously played for the club from 2019 to 2023, having arrived in the Rhineland from his native France as a promising young talent and eventually leaving the club – having established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s best attackers – to join Aston Villa in the Premier League. Now he has returned to Bayer 04 from Al-Ittihad FC in Saudi Arabia.
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