
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.


In Germany, the temperatures are currently around zero, leaving even professional footballers freezing - but not the Bayer 04 Women. Roberto Pätzold's team have fled the cold to the south and are preparing for the second half of the season at a training camp in the Algarve, almost 2,000 kilometres away from home as the crow flies. The Leverkusen squad landed in Faro on Saturday morning and have already completed the first three training sessions over the weekend.
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It was a disappointing Saturday night. The Werkself lost 4-1 to VfB Stuttgart to start the new year on Bundesliga matchday 16 in 2025/26, a result that left both players and fans disappointed. "We played without any passion," said Alejandro Grimaldo honestly afterwards. Teammate Jarell Quansah was even more self-critical, emphasising: "We were miles off it in the first half. You can't put in a performance like that, especially in front of our own fans and I can only apologise to them, to be honest." Read on for the reaction, facts and stats from the clash with VfB Stuttgart in the Werkself review.
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Women’s team forward Paulina Bartz is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen to play for Hamburg SV until the end of the season. The 20-year-old, whose contract runs to 2027, joins the Bundesliga newcomers on loan until the summer.
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Jarell Quansah and Alejandro Grimaldo speak to Werkself-TV following Bayer 04's 4-1 defeat to VfB Stuttgart on Bundesliga Matchday 16...
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