Last week, the first-choice keeper Lukas Hradecky was on the subs bench in the 5-1 defeat for Finland in a friendly against Poland. The 30-year-old was back between the sticks for the Nations League clash with Bulgaria – and he kept a clean sheet in the 2-0 victory for the forthcoming European Championship participants. Werkself loanee Joel Pohjanpalo, this season playing for Union Berlin, was substituted on 65 minutes.
The Finns are now second in Group 4 in League B. Hradecky and Co. end the current international break on Wednesday 14 October with a home game against Ireland (kick-off: 18.00 CEST/live on DAZN).
Like their Leverkusen teammate Hradecky, Aleksandar Dragovic and Julian Baumgartlinger also picked up three points. The Austrians, also in League B (Group 1), won their away match in Northern Ireland 1-0. Augsburg’s Michael Gregoritsch netted the only goal of the game in Belfast on 42 minutes. Dragovic and Baumgartlinger played the full 90 minutes.
Austria are away to Romania on Wednesday night, 14 October (kick-off: 20.45 CEST/live on DAZN) – and another win would take them top of the table.
Croatia were winners in League A (Group 3): The team under national coach Zlatko Dalić won their home game against Sweden 2-1. Tin Jedvaj did not play. Wednesday, 14 October (kick-off: 20.45 CET/live on DAZN), sees a repeat of the 2018 World Cup final: Croatia entertain World Cup winners France in Zagreb.
Jonathan Tah (Germany):
Tuesday, 13 October (20.45 CEST/live on ARD): Germany v Switzerland (UEFA Nations League)
Aleksandar Dragovic and Julian Baumgartlinger (Austria):
Wednesday, 14 October (20.45 CEST/live on DAZN): Romania v Austria (UEFA Nations League)
Lukas Hradecky (Finland):
Wednesday, 14 October (18.00 CEST/live on DAZN): Finland v Ireland (UEFA Nations League)
Tin Jedvaj (Croatia):
Wednesday, 14 October (20.45 CEST/live on DAZN): Croatia v France (UEFA Nations League)
Lucas Alario and Exequiel Palacios (Argentina):
Tuesday, 13 October (22.00 CEST): Bolivia v Argentina (World Cup qualifier)
Charles Aránguiz (Chile):
Tuesday, 14 October (02.30 CEST): Chile v Colombia (World Cup qualifier)
Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso):
Monday, 12 October: Burkina Faso v Madagascar (Friendly)
Lennart Grill and Florian Wirtz (Germany U21):
Tuesday, 13 October (18.15 CEST/live on ProSieben MAXX): Germany U21 v Bosnia-Herzegovina U21 (Euro U21 qualifier)
Moussa Diaby (France U21):
Monday, 12 October (21.00 CEST): France U21 v Slovakia U21 (Euro U21 qualifier)
Bayer 04 have ended Artem Stepanov’s loan deal at Nürnberg and agreed a new loan to Utrecht in the Netherlands. The Ukrainian striker did not play as much as hoped for at the Bundesliga 2 club and will now continue his development in the Eredivisie for the rest of 2025/26.
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Following on from the emotional last-minute win at Union Berlin, the Bayer 04 Women now face a promoted team: On Saturday, 31 January (12:00 CET), coach Roberto Pätzold's team welcome FC Nürnberg to the Ulrich Haberland Stadium for their first home game of the new year. In their second season in the Bundesliga, the Franconians have impressed with 16 points from the first 15 games.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with Germany U19 international Montrell Culbreath. The attacking midfielder and right winger has penned a deal with the Bundesliga club that runs to 30 June 2030. Culbreath has played for the Werkself as a youth player since 2023. Last December, he scored his first Bundesliga goal for the Leverkusen first team in the Bayer 04 3-1 away win at RB Leipzig.
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The Werkself's 3-0 victory over Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League certainly left many happy faces: Malik Tillman was delighted with his brace, Robert Andrich with the clean sheet and coach Kasper Hjulmand with the "manner" of this significant home win. With an overwhelming superiority and over 75 per cent possession at times, Bayer 04 deserved their place in the UCL play-off round. They will face a familiar foe in February. The Werkself review.
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