After Euro 2024 in Germany, the national coach Julian Nagelsmann has rejigged his squad following the international retirement of Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Ilkay Gündogan. In addition to several new young players the squad includes the Werkself trio of Jonathan Tah, Robert Andrich and Florian Wirtz. The three Bayer 04 players were all in the squad for the Euros in Germany.
Nagelsmann and the Germany team now have their first matches in the UEFA Nations League. Germany play Hungary and the Netherlands in their group (see below for details). The second match against the Oranje sees the Werkself trio of Tah and Co. go face-to-face with Bayer 04 teammate Jeremie Frimpong who has been called up to the Netherlands squad by coach Ronald Koeman. For Frimpong the second match is against the fourth team in the group, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Other Werkself players are involved in the first games in the Nations League 2024/25. Granit Xhaka, captain and record appearance maker for Switzerland starts against Denmark and that is followed by a meeting with the European champions Spain, where he'll come up against club colleagues Alejandro Grimaldo and Aleix Garcia, who are both in La Roja's squad. Spain play Serbia in their other fixture.
The Czech duo of Patrik Schick and Matej Kovar play Georgia and Ukraine, while Lukas Hradecky's Finland meet Greece and EURO runners-up England.
Three Werkself players are involved in qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Bayer 04 defender Edmond Tapsoba has been called up to the Burkina Faso squad for the games against Senegal and Malawi. Victor Boniface is in the Nigeria squad set to play Benin and Ruanda, while Amine Adli and Morocco face Gabon and Lesotho.
Meanwhile, defender Piero Hincapie has been called up by Ecuador for their next two matches in South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. Fifth-placed Ecuador meet Brazil and then Peru.
INTERNATIONAL CALL-UPS AT A GLANCE
Jonathan Tah, Robert Andrich and Florian Wirtz (Germany)
07.09: Germany vs Hungary (UEFA Nations League)
10.09: Netherlands vs Germany (UEFA Nations League)
Jeremie Frimpong (Netherlands)
07.09: Netherlands vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (UEFA Nations League)
10.09: Netherlands vs Germany (UEFA Nations League)
Granit Xhaka (Switzerland)
05.09: Denmark vs Switzerland (UEFA Nations League)
08.09: Switzerland vs Spain (UEFA Nations League)
Alejandro Grimaldo and Aleix Garcia (Spain)
05.09: Serbia vs Spain (UEFA Nations League)
08.09: Switzerland vs Spain (UEFA Nations League)
Lukas Hradecky (Finland)
07.09: Greece vs Finland (UEFA Nations League)
10.09: England vs Finland (UEFA Nations League)
Patrik Schick and Matej Kovar (Czechia)
07.09: Georgia vs Czechia (UEFA Nations League)
10.09: Czechia vs Ukraine (UEFA Nations League)
Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso)
06.09: Senegal vs Burkina Faso (AFCON qualifying)
10.09: Burkina Faso vs Malawi (AFCON qualifying)
Amine Adli (Morocco)
06.09: Morocco vs Gabon (AFCON qualifying)
09.09: Lesotho - Marokko (AFCON qualifying)
Victor Boniface (Nigeria)
07.09: Nigeria vs Benin (AFCON qualifying)
10.09: Ruanda vs Nigeria (AFCON qualifying)
Piero Hincapie (Ecuador)
07.09: Brazil vs Ecuador (World Cup qualifying)
10.09: Ecuador vs Peru (World Cup qualifying)
Jeanuel Belocian (France U21)
06.09: France vs Slovenia (U21 EURO qualifying)
10.09: France vs Bosnia & Herzegovina (U21 EURO qualifying)
The second international break of the 2025/26 season will begin after the Bundesliga match against Union Berlin (Saturday, 4 October, 15:30 CEST). The latest information on call-ups.
Show more
Alejo Sarco and Argentina won their second group match at the U20 World Cup in Chile on Wednesday night. They beat Australia 4-1 with Sarco setting the tone early with a goal in the third minute. As in the first group game against Cuba, where Sarco scored twice, the 19-year-old was also named "Player of the Match" against Australia.
Show more
Second game, second draw in the UEFA Champions League 2025/26: The Werkself were held to a 1-1 draw by Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven on matchday two in the league phase. After an early but brief setback in the form of an offside goal by Ivan Perisic for the visitors (5'), the Werkself took control and created numerous good chances in the first half. Leverkusen took a deserved lead after the break in the 65th minute through Christian Kofane. However, PSV's Ismael Saibari replied a few minutes later to level at 1-1 (72').
Show more
In the second match in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26, the Werkself host PSV Eindhoven this Wednesday evening, 1 October (kick-off: 21:00 CEST/live on DAZN and on Werkself Radio). PSV have injury problems but are in confident mood after winning two consecutive league titles. PSV coach Peter Bosz and keeper Matej Kovar are two familiar faces who have fond memories of their Bayer 04 days. The latest information on the UCL match at the BayArena can be found in out matchday news.
Show more
Bayer 04 beat PSV Eindhoven 3-2 on matchday two to clock up the next three points in the UCL Youth League 2025/26. In front of just under 500 spectators at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, the visitors from the Netherlands led at half-time, but the Werkself turned the game round in the second 45. That makes it two wins on the bounce after the victory in Copenhagen.
Show more
