The first international break of the season is approaching – and Kai Havertz is on the verge of his debut as a full international. The 19-year-old Bayer 04 pro has been called up by Germany coach Joachim Löw for the encounter in the UEFA Nations League next Thursday, 6 September, against World Cup winners France in Munich as well as for the friendly against Peru on the following Sunday, 9 September, in Sinsheim. As expected, Löw has also called up Julian Brandt and Jonathan Tah. For Havertz (above as captain of the Germany U19 team in the game against the Netherlands in March of this year), the youngest Bundesliga player of all times to clock up 50 appearances in the top flight, it is the next exciting step on the career ladder.
"We need a good balance of experience and youth. Kai Havertz, as did the two other newcomers Nico Schulz and Thilo Kehrer, showed his great talent last season," declared Löw at this afternoon's DFB press conference in Munich.Bayer 04 head coach Heiko Herrlich said: "We're very happy about the call ups for Julian, Jonathan and Kai. Our aim is to continue to have a lot of Germany internationals at Leverkusen. At the World Cup we only had one and now there are three. And they have absolutely deserved it."
Other Bayer 04 players will also be on international duty. Central defender Aleksandar Dragovic will first be in the Austria squad for the friendly on 6 September in Vienna against Sweden – with the Werkself striker Isaac Kiese Thelin – and then on 11 September for a Nations League game against Bosnia Herzegovina in Zenica. Sweden also have their second game in the Nations League on 10 September against Turkey in Solna. And Tin Jedvaj also has two games with World Cup runners-up Croatia: The first is a friendly against Portugal in Faro on 6 September before taking on Spain in the Nations League in Elche on 11 September.
Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, who is currently recovering from the after-effects of a jaw operation, will join the Finland squad who have two home games in the Nations League against Hungary in Tampere on 8 September and against Estonia on 11 September in Turku. Charles Aránguiz is in the Chile squad for two friendlies in Asia; on 7 September against Japan in Sapporo and on 11 September against South Korea in Busan.
Young pro Jakub Bednarczyk is in the Poland U 20 squad for two friendlies against Italy in Lodz on 6 September and against Switzerland on 10 September in Montreux. For the four nation U17 tournament on Schluchsee, forward Christopher Scott is in the Germany squad under coach Michael Feichtenbeiner for the games in Konstanz, Singen and Waldshut-Tiengen against the Netherlands, Israel and Italy. Two other Bayer 04 youngsters in Yannick Schlößer and Cem Türkmen are on standby.
Bayer 04 are through to the second round of the DFB Pokal after a 4-0 win at Sonnenhof Großaspach on Friday night. The game was paused after only 18 minutes due to a storm over the ground. After a lengthy delay, play resumed and Patrik Schick opened the scoring. Arthur, Christian Kofane and Alejandro Grimaldo made things more comfortable in the second half, as the fourth-tier side had two players sent off.
Show more
There were no goals across 115 minutes of football between Bayer 04 Women and PSV Eindhoven in Friday’s friendly. Roberto Pätzold’s team played two 45-minute periods before an extra 25 minutes two days prior to heading to Rieden for their training camp. Their Dutch opponents were preparing for their UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifier in 12 days.
Show more
The first round of the DFB Pokal takes Bayer 04 to Sonnenhof Großaspach on Friday. The amateur club have just gained promotion to the fourth-tier Regionalliga Südwest and kicked off their campaign with two impressive wins. Here’s all you need to know as Erik ten Hag makes his competitive bow as Werkself boss at the WIRmachenDRUCK Arena (kick-off: 6pm CEST).
Show more
After two months preparing for the new season, the Werkself play the first game of the 2025/26 campaign on Friday, 15 August (kick-off: 18:00 CEST) away to SG Sonnenhof Großaspach in the first round of the DFB Pokal. Ahead of the tie against the team newly promoted to the Regional League South West, head coach Erik ten Hag talked about his approach to the knockout game and his soft spot for cup competitions.
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen has a new Premium Partner in its ranks in Düsseldorf company LumenHaus GmbH. The leading provider of networked home energy solutions has initially agreed a one-year partnership with the Bundesliga runners-up to the end of the 2025/26 season.
Show more
