Since Sunday it has been clear that Charles Aránguiz will not travel to join the Chile squad. The 30-year-old suffered a hairline fracture to his right metatarsal and a thigh injury in the closing stages of the game against Leipzig. As a result he has withdrawn from the international squad due to injury.
Kai Havertz, Jonathan Tah and newcomer Nadiem Amiri are flying the Bayer 04 flag in the Germany squad. The friendly against Argentina, including team-mate Lucas Alario, on 10 October is followed by the third-last Euro 2020 qualifier. The leaders in Group C face Estonia (13 October) who have yet to register a point.
Austria coach Franco Foda has again called up two Werkself players: Julian Baumgartlinger and Aleksandar Dragović are in the Austria squad for the crucial Euro 2020 qualifiers against rivals Israel (10 October) and Slovenia (13 October). With four games to play, Austria are third in Group G (10 points), Israel are in fifth (a) and Slovenia second (11).
Finland, with Lukas Hradecky and returnee Joel Pohjanpalo, also have two important games. As the team lying second in Group J, the Finns (12) meet Bosnia-Herzegovina (12 October) and Armenia (15 October) who are in third and fourth places behind Finland. Two wins against the direct competition would make it virtually impossible for Finland not qualify. After a miserable year, Pohjanpalo could be set to make his first appearance for his national side since the the end of March 2018.
Panagiotis Retsos can also be hopeful of playing for the full international team in the Euro qualifiers: The 21-year-old is first set to help out the Greece U21 team (against the Czech Republic U 21 is on 10 October) and after that, the national coach John van 't Schip has included him in the senior squad for the first time in 18 months for the qualifier against Bosnia-Herzegovina (15 October). In the same group as Finland, Greece (five points) are only in with an outside chance of qualifying for the Euros.
Also on the road with their international teams are Paulinho (Brazil U23), Moussa Diaby (France U21) and Adrian Stanilewicz (Poland U20). In addition, the U19 players Marcel Lotka (Poland U19) and Hans Anapak (Cameroon U23) have also been called up.
The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
Show more
On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
Show more
After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
Show more
When Exequiel Palacios moved from the Argentinian club River Plate to Bayer Leverkusen on 1 January 2020, the then 21-year-old could not have imagined just how successful the next six and a half years would be for him. Pala, as he is known, had already won the Copa Libertadores – the most prestigious competition in South American club football – with River Plate. But there were still so many more trophies to come.
Show more
