
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)


A special afternoon at the Bayer 04 Football Academy autumn camp: At the Liga 20 indoor football centre, in the shadow of the BayArena, two Werkself women’s team players led a training session. Loreen Bender and Selina Ostermeier not only offered the young players advice and support, but also got stuck in themselves.
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Bayer 04 came from 2-0 down to beat Nürnberg 5-2 in the second round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal on Wednesday night. Edmond Tapsoba’s double either side of half-time sparked the turnaround, before Patrik Schick, Jonas Hofmann and Lucas Vázquez ensured progress to the last 16 for the 2024 cup winners.
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The Werkself have reached at least the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal in each of the last three years. The Black-and-Reds would like to make it to the final four of the competition again this season, but to do that they'll need to overcome 1. FC Nürnberg in round two, who travel to the BayArena with momentum following a successful league campaign so far. However, Bayer have a 100 percent record at home in all competitions this season - and have also won six of their last seven home matches in the Pokal. The Matchday News.
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Back at home in the second round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal, Bayer 04 host FC Nürnberg at the BayArena. The match against the current second-placed side in Bundesliga 2 is on Wednesday 28 October at 20:45 CET. Ahead of the game, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about his anticipation of the clash in front of a home crowd. The Spaniard also commented on a number of personnel matters, including Ibrahim Maza and Montrell Culbreath, plus the visitors’ coach, Miroslav Klose.
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Now in their third season under head coach Miroslav Klose, FC Nürnberg are among the promotion contenders in Bundesliga 2. On Wednesday 28 October (kick-off: 20:45 CET), the team currently second in the table are away to Bayer 04 in the second round of the DFB Pokal. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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