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.
The second European away game takes the Werkself to the Portuguese capital Lisbon. Kasper Hjulmand's team will face record champions Benfica on Wednesday, 5 November (kick-off: 20:00 GMT, 21:00 CET) on matchday 4 in the league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League. As usual, we will take you along on the #aCROSSeurope journey and report from Lisbon. The times given are Central European Time.
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The Werkself beat Benfica 1-0 on Matchday 4 of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League league phase to seal three crucial points! Both teams had promising chances in the first half, but the contest was goalless at half-time. Substitute Patrik Schick headed in to score the only goal after the restart (65’). The home side went looking for an equaliser but Bayer 04 defended passionately to see out the storm.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 2-1 win against Hamburger SV on the 9th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.
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The Werkself consolidated their position among the top teams in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga thanks to a last-minute goal on Wednesday evening. Roberto Pätzold’s team beat Hamburger SV 2-1 at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. Kristin Kögel (14’) and Caroline Kehrer (90’+5) scored for Bayer 04. The result takes Bayer 04 Women onto 19 points, third in the table behind top two Bayern Munich (25) and VfL Wolfsburg (22).
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One Bayer 04 player in particular is looking forward to the Werkself’s Champions League match away at Benfica on Wednesday 5 November (kick-off at 21:00 CET). Alejandro Grimaldo returns to his old stomping ground for the first time since he joined Bayer 04 two years ago. He encounters a Portuguese side that are unbeaten in the domestic league but under pressure in the UEFA Champions League having not taken any points, even under new coach José Mourinho. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game in Lisbon.
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