
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)


With three games to play before the end of the season, the Bayer 04 Women can break one record and equal another at SGS Essen. After three wins on the bounce, coach Roberto Pätzold's team are aiming to maintain the chance of third place in Sunday’s away game (14:00 CEST, Stadion an der Hafenstraße).
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From Ouagadougou to Leverkusen – and back: in March, Bayer 04 travelled with Edmond Tapsoba for a special project in his homeland Burkina Faso. The country where his roots and heart lie. The country where he’s more than a world-class defender: a symbol of hope and a role model for an entire generation. The result is a 45-minute documentary about Tapsoba’s long journey from Africa via Portugal to Leverkusen, which offers extraordinary, one-off and emotional insights.
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Edmond Tapsoba has signed an early extension to his contract with Bayer 04 Leverkusen. With two years left on his current deal, the 27-year-old Burkina Faso international has extended his contract until 30 June 2031. The centre-back joined as a young talent from Portuguese top-flight club Vitoria Guimaraes at the start of 2020.
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A special surprise: during the preview for the 'Fierté Burkinabè' documentary about Edmond Tapsoba, Bayer 04 directors Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes announced Tapsoba's contract extension until 2031 together with the centre-back. He then spoke to Werkself-TV about his time in Leverkusen so far and future ambitions...
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This evening was deeply moving: At a really special setting, Bayer 04 exclusively presented the specially produced documentary ‘Fierté Burkinabè’ ("Burkinabe Pride") about Edmond Tapsoba on Tuesday. For the preview at the BayArena, the parents of the Werkself player and other close companions travelled all the way from his African homeland Burkina Faso. The 45-minute film shows Tapsoba's extraordinary career from his beginnings in Ouagadougou to Leverkusen as well as the work of his foundation "Fondation Edmond Tapsoba", with representatives from Burkina Faso also present. Fans can watch the documentary free of charge on Werkself TV and YouTube from Wednesday night at 20:00 CEST.
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