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)
Following the Bundesliga clash against RB Leipzig (Sunday, 20 September, 15:30 CEST), some of the Werkself first team players will be heading off for the first international break of the season. Here is an overview of the Bayer 04 players called up for their national teams and all the details of their upcoming matches.
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A special visit to the BayArena: 222 members from volunteer fire brigades in Leverkusen, the Rheinisch-Bergisch district and the Oberbergisch district watched the Werkself’s 2–0 home win over Slovenian champions NK Celje live in the stadium. Bayer 04 had invited them to the 2026/27 Europa League opener as a thank-you for their tremendous dedication. They watched the match together in Block F4.
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The Bayer 04 U19s have extended their winning run with a fifth consecutive victory on Matchday 5 of the DFB Youth League’s preliminary round. Coach Patrick Greveraars’ side secured a 3–2 (2–1) win in their match against second-placed FC Viktoria Köln, with Burak Kir and Nebe Domnic scoring for the hosts in the first half before captain Ben Hawighorst found the net after the break.
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Bayer 04 will have to manage without defender Guéla Doué for the time being. The Ivory Coast international sustained a muscle injury to his right calf during the final Werkself training session yesterday ahead of the Europa League clash with Slovenian champions NK Celje.
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For the first time since reaching the final against AS Roma (2–2, first leg 2–0) in May 2024, Bayer 04 are playing another home match in the UEFA Europa League – and they will be wearing their new European kit. On Wednesday 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), the BayArena will welcome Slovenian champions NK Celje, who appointed a new coach this week following a mixed start to the season. Under the slogan “40 Years Across Europe. Still Creating History.”, the Black and Reds now aim to add the next chapter to their European history, which has seen so much success in recent years. Bayer 04 fans can follow the match on free-to-air TV on RTL, as well as on Sky and Werkself Radio. The matchday news.
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