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 still unbeaten in 2023/24 after a 5-0 win away at Bochum on Matchday 33 in the Bundesliga. Despite a bold start by the hosts, they were reduced to 10 men after a red card for Felix Passlack, before Patrik Schick and Victor Boniface set the Werkself on course for victory with first-half goals. Amine Adli, Josip Stanisic and Alejandro Grimaldo then added the gloss late on to ensure Leverkusen end this campaign without a single loss on the road.
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Bayer 04 are in Bochum for their final away game of this Bundesliga season on Sunday (kick-off: 7.30pm CEST). Here’s all you need to know ahead of the Matchday 33 encounter at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 3-1 win at MSV Duisburg on matchday 21 of the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga 2023/24...
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Bayer 04 Women are still in with a chance of finishing fifth in the Google Pixel Bundesliga after a 3-1 victory in Duisburg in their last away game of the season. Loreen Bender, Nikola Karczewska and substitute Synne Skinnes Hansen scored for Leverkusen against the already relegated hosts, moving onto 31 points. It means a win at home to Werder Bremen on the final day is needed to have a chance over overtaking Hoffenheim into fifth.
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