+++ 16.06.: Successful Copa América rehearsal for Hincapie and Ecuador +++
Ecuador, with Piero Hincapie in the starting XI, beat Honduras 2-1 in the final friendly ahead of the Copa América. After the Honduras player Bryan Rochez cancelled out opening goal scored by Ecuador’s Jeremy Sarmiento in the first half, it looked like the game was heading for a 1-1 draw. But the Werkself player Hincapie struck with a minute of normal time to play to net the winner at 2-1 on 89 minutes.
+++ 10.06.: Hincapie and Palacios in friendly ahead of Copa América +++
Exequiel Palacios and Piero Hincapie faced each other in a friendly ahead of the Copa América starting in the USA on 20 June. Palacios came on as a substitute on 86 minutes in the match between Argentina and Ecuador, won 1-0 by the Albiceleste. Hincapie played the full game.
+++ 08.06.: Euro 2024 rehearsal for next Werkself trio +++
Three other Bayer 04 players featured in the final friendlies ahead of Euro 2024. Alejandro Grimaldo came on in the second half in Spain's 5-1 win against Northern Ireland, Josip Stanisic was a starter in Croatia's 2-1 win against Portugal and he played the full 90 minutes.
Switzerland, with captain and record international appearance maker Granit Xhaka in the starting XI, drew 1-1 with Austria. Switzerland – alongside Germany in Group A – are next in action in their first group match against Hungary. Spain play Croatia in their first game at Euro 2024.
+++ 07.06.: Germany fight back to beat Greece 2-1 +++
Germany won their last game before the European Championships. The team under coach Julian Nagelsmann turned a 1-0 deficit against Greece into a 2-1 win. Robert Andrich, Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Tah were in the starting line-up. Wirtz was substituted at half-time and Andrich played 69 minutes. Tah clocked up the full 90 minutes.
Scotland, who play Germany in the opening match of Euro 2024 on 14 June, faced Finland in their last friendly before the tournament. Lukas Hradecky did not play in this final friendly for Finland that ended all square at 2-2.
A Leverkusen trio played in qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup on Friday night. The Ivory Coast, with Odilon Kossounou in the starting line-up, beat Gabon 1-0. Morocco secured a 2-1 win against Zambia with Amine Adli introduced on 77 minutes. Nigeria drew 1-1 with South Africa with Victor Boniface not playing in the game.
+++ 07.06.: Kovar in the starting line-up in runaway win for Czechia +++
In their penultimate test before Euro 2024, Czechia, with Matej Kovar in the starting line-up, beat Malta 7-1. Kovar was in goal for the first half with the score 3-0 at the end of the first 45. Kovar was substituted at half-time and the striking duo of Patrik Schick and Adam Hlozek did not play.
+++ 06.06.: Frimpong on top form ahead of Euro 2024 +++
A successful night for Jeremie Frimpong: The wing back was on the winning side with the Netherlands in a 4-0 victory over Canada in a friendly. Frimpong was in the starting XI and he set up the opener on 50 minutes with a cross to teammate Memphis Depay from the right. The Werkself player scored himself to double the lead seven minutes later. Frimpong was substituted just after the hour mark.
Edmond Tapsoba and Burkina Faso suffered a defeat in the World Cup qualifier against Egypt. Tapsoba played the full 90 minutes in the 2-1 loss. Burkina Faso are third in Group A in the World Cup qualifiers after three matches.
+++ 05.06.: Grimaldo starts in 5-0 runaway win for Spain+++
Alejandro Grimaldo and Spain had their final friendly ahead of Euro 2024 on Wednesday night. La Furia Roja clocked up a 5-0 victory over Andorra. Grimaldo was in the starting line-up and he played for the first half of the game.
+++ 04.06.: Xhaka and Switzerland win last home game before Euro 2024 +++
Switzerland, with captain Granit Xhaka in the starting line-up, won their penultimate friendly ahead of Euro 2024 with a 4-0 victory over Estonia. Three goals in the second half extended the 1-0 lead at half-time. Switzerland's most capped player Xhaka was on the pitch up to 74 minutes when he made way for teammate Michel Aebischer.
Lukas Hradecky was on the losing side with Finland losing 4-2 against Portugal. The captain Hradecky played the full 90 minutes.
+++ 03.06: Leverkusen trio start for Germany +++
Germany drew 0-0 with Ukraine in their penultimate friendly ahead of Euro 2024. Robert Andrich, Jonathan Tah and Florian Wirtz were all in the starting XI for the match on Monday night. While Wirtz was substituted at half-time, Tah was on the pitch for an hour. Andrich played 70 minutes.
Croatia also played their penultimate friendly ahead of the European Championships. They secured a 3-0 win against North Macedonia but Josip Stanisic did not get on.
INTERNATIONAL FIXTURES
Robert Andrich, Jonathan Tah and Florian Wirtz (Germany)
03.06: Germany 0 vs 0 Ukraine (Friendly)
07.06: Germany 2 vs 1 Greece (Friendly)
Josip Stanisic (Croatia)
03.06: Croatia 3 vs 0 North Macedonia (Friendly)
08.06: Portugal 1 vs 2 Croatia (Friendly)
Granit Xhaka (Switzerland)
04.06: Switzerland 4 vs 0 Estonia (Friendly)
08.06: Switzerland 1 vs 1 Austria (Friendly)
Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain)
05.06: Spain 5 vs 0 Andorra (Friendly)
08.06: Spain 5 vs 1 Northern Ireland (Friendly)
Jeremie Frimpong (Netherlands)
06.06.: Netherlands 4 vs 0 Canada (Friendly)
10.06: Netherlands vs Iceland (Friendly)
Adam Hlozek, Matej Kovar and Patrik Schick (Czechia)
07.06: Czechia 7 vs 1 Malta (Friendly)
10.06: Czechia vs North Macedonia (Friendly)
Lukas Hradecky (Finland)
04.06: Portugal 4 vs 2 Finland (Friendly)
07.06: Scotland 2 vs 2 Finland (Friendly)
Piero Hincapie (Ecuador)
10.06: Argentina 1 vs 0 Ecuador (Friendly)
13.06: Ecuador vs Bolivia (Friendly)
16.06: Ecuador vs Honduras (Friendly)
Exequiel Palacios (Argentina)
10.06: Argentina 1 vs 0 Ecuador (Friendly)
14.06: Argentina vs Guatemala (Friendly)
Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso)
06.06: Egypt 2 vs 1 Burkina Faso (World Cup qualifier)
10.06: Burkina Faso vs Sierra Leone (World Cup qualifier)
Victor Boniface (Nigeria)
07.06: Nigeria 1 vs 1 South Africa (World Cup qualifier)
10.06: Benin vs Nigeria (World Cup qualifier)
Amine Adli (Morocco)
07.06: Morocco 2 vs 1 Zambia (World Cup qualifier)
11.06: DR Congo vs Morocco (World Cup qualifier)
Odilon Kossounou (Ivory Coast)
07.06: Ivory Coast 1 vs Gabon 0 (World Cup qualifier)
11.06: Kenya vs Ivory Coast (World Cup qualifier)
They had their hands full in the VAR centre in Cologne: eight goals were scored at the MEWA Arena on Saturday afternoon, but only four of them were allowed in the end as the Werkself and 1. FSV Mainz 05 closed the season with a 2-2 draw. It means Bayer 04 end the 2024/25 campaign as runners-up with 69 points, representing the fourth-best season in the club's history. What's more, the Werkself are now unbeaten away from home in two whole Bundesliga seasons, with their last away defeat coming exactly two years ago on Matchday 34 of the 2022/23 season at VfL Bochum. The Black-and-Reds can continue the record run next season - albeit without Alonso and Tah. Read what else the eventful final game for the head coach and the defensive leader had to offer in the Werkself Review.
Show moreWerkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 2-2 draw at Mainz 05 on the 34th matchday of the Bundesliga 2024/25...
Show moreBayer 04’s final game of the 2024/25 Bundesliga season saw VAR drama and produced a new record for away results with a 2-2 draw in Mainz. The hosts had several goals ruled out before Paul Nebel put them ahead. Patrik Schick’s brace then turned things around in the second half before Jonathan Burkardt’s penalty levelled the game again. It means Leverkusen have now gone 34 away games without defeat in the Bundesliga, which no team has ever done before.
Show moreThe Werkself bring down the curtain on their 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign with a game away at Mainz on Saturday (kick-off: 3.30pm CEST). Here’s all you need to know ahead of the Matchday 34 meeting at the MEWA Arena.
Show moreXabi Alonso is leaving Leverkusen at the end of the season. In his final interview as Werkself coach, he talks about his two-and-a-half years at the helm, the greatest moments of his historic tenure and his appreciation of the connection with the fans and players throughout their remarkable progress together.
Show more