19.03.2018Bayer 04

International update – Friendly against Bochum at Kurtekotten

This week sees the first international break for the Bundesliga in the World Cup year 2018. While ten Werkself pros and four youth players are in action for their national sides, the rest of the first team squad will spend the next two weeks preparing for the Bundesliga match against FC Augsburg on Easter Saturday. A friendly has also been arranged: The match between Bayer 04 and second division VfL Bochum on Thursday has been moved from the Haberland Stadium to the Kurtekotten Academy. The kick-off time of 15.00 CET remains the same and there is free entry. The game against the team coached by Robin Dutt, which includes two former Bayer 04 players Sidney Sam and Robbie Kruse, will be broadcast live on bayer04.de and Facebook.

Goalkeeper Bernd Leno and Julian Brandt could feature in two very interesting friendlies for Germany. The team coached by Joachim Löw entertain Spain in Düsseldorf on Friday 23 March at 20.45 CET before the match against record world champions Brazil at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on Tuesday 27 March at 20.45 CET.

The Germany U 21s, including skipper Jonathan Tah and Benjamin Henrichs, are involved in a battle for crucial points in European Championship qualifiers. The team under coach Stefan Kuntz, who are leading Group 5 with 12 points from five games ahead of Ireland (on 10), play Israel on Thursday 22 March in a 19.00 CET kick-off in Braunschweig before the fixture in Kosovo on Tuesday 27 March at 18.45 CET..

Following a long injury lay-off, Tin Jedvaj returns to the Croatia squad for the two friendlies in the USA against Peru (Friday 23 March in Miami) and Mexico (Wednesday 28 March in Arlington/Texas). Julian Baumgartlinger and Austria have friendlies against Slovenia on Friday 23 March 20.45 CET and Luxembourg on Tuesday 27 March at 20.30 CET. Panos Retsos also has two games in prospect with Greece starting on Friday 23 March at 21.00 CET against Switzerland in Basel and that is followed on Tuesday 27 March at 20.00 CET by match against Egypt in Zürich.

Charles Aránguiz is with Chile for two games in Scandinavia with Sweden the opponents on Saturday 24 March at 18.00 CET in Solna and Denmark on Tuesday 27 March at 20.00 CET in Aalborg. Joel Pohjanpalo is in the Finland squad for their fixtures against Macedonia (Friday 23 March, 19.00 CET) and Malta (Monday 26 March, 19.00 CET).

Three Bayer 04 players are looking to complete a decisive step for the Germany U19 team on the way to July's European Championships in Finland. Kai Havertz captains the team under coach Meikel Schönweitz that also includes Sam Schreck and Atakan Akkaynak. To make it to the European Championship finals, the Germany U19s have to come out on top in three games against Scotland (21 March at 18.00 CET in Ennepetal), Norway (24 March at 12.00 CET in Hüsten) and the Netherlands (27 March at 18.00 CET in Ahlen). Only the group winners will progress to the finals in Finland.

Two other Bayer 04 U19 players are away on international duty: Jakub Bednarczyk is with Poland for the European Championship qualifiers against the Czech Republic, Italy and Greece, and Güven Yalcin is with the Turkey U19s for the same mission against Austria, Denmark and Bosnia.

Related News

T-Shirt-Verkauf für den guten Zweck mit Edmond Tapsoba, Ibrahim Maza und Christian Kofane

Bayer 04 - 01.05.2026

Big crowd at shirt sale for a good cause with Tapsoba, Maza and Kofane - last chance at home matchday

This special event showed once again how strong Bayer 04 are as a team: As part of ‘BarmeniaGothaer gives joy’, the Werkself players Edmond Tapsoba, Ibrahim Maza and Christian Kofane supported the sale of individually designed T-shirts for a good cause at the Fanwelt on Thursday. Several hundred fans came to take part in the charity campaign. Leverkusen's main sponsor BarmeniaGothaer donated the proceeds to the Fondation Edmond Tapsoba, which helps people in Tapsoba's home country of Burkina Faso in their challenging everyday lives.

Women - 01.05.2026

Bayer 04 Women on hunt for records in Essen

With three games to play before the end of the season, the Bayer 04 Women can break one record and equal another at SGS Essen. After three wins on the bounce, coach Roberto Pätzold's team are aiming to maintain the chance of third place in Sunday’s away game (14:00 CEST, Stadion an der Hafenstraße).

Fierté Burkinabè - Edmond Tapsoba: Playing for More

Bayer 04 - 29.04.2026

‘Fierté Burkinabè’ documentary – visiting Edmond Tapsoba at home in Burkina Faso

From Ouagadougou to Leverkusen – and back: in March, Bayer 04 travelled with Edmond Tapsoba for a special project in his homeland Burkina Faso. The country where his roots and heart lie. The country where he’s more than a world-class defender: a symbol of hope and a role model for an entire generation. The result is a 45-minute documentary about Tapsoba’s long journey from Africa via Portugal to Leverkusen, which offers extraordinary, one-off and emotional insights.

Edmond Tapsoba mit Fernando Carro und Simon Rolfes

Bayer 04 - 29.04.2026

Contract until 2031: Defensive ace Edmond Tapsoba commits long-term to Bayer 04

Edmond Tapsoba has signed an early extension to his contract with Bayer 04 Leverkusen. With two years left on his current deal, the 27-year-old Burkina Faso international has extended his contract until 30 June 2031. The centre-back joined as a young talent from Portuguese top-flight club Vitoria Guimaraes at the start of 2020.

04 Fragen an Edmond Tapsoba | Vertragsverlängerung nach Doku-Premiere

Werkself-TV - 29.04.2026

Tapsoba on his contract extension until 2031: 'A very special day for me'

A special surprise: during the preview for the 'Fierté Burkinabè' documentary about Edmond Tapsoba, Bayer 04 directors Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes announced Tapsoba's contract extension until 2031 together with the centre-back. He then spoke to Werkself-TV about his time in Leverkusen so far and future ambitions...