Piero Hincapie starts the qualification games from a Black and Red perspective. Ecuador entertain table-toppers Brazil on Thursday, 27 January (kick-off: 22.00 CET). They then face Peru six days later (2 February, 03.00 CET).
The Werkself player and his fellow countrymen are currently third in the South American World Cup qualification group with a six-point lead over Colombia in fourth. The top four places ensure qualification for the tournament in Qatar. The fifth-placed team goes into the play-offs.
Hincapie’s teammate Charles Aránguiz and Chile are up against second-placed Argentina – this time without Leverkusen players Lucas Alario and Exequiel Palacios. That match is on Friday, 28 January, at 01.15 CET. Aránguiz and Co. then play Bolivia on 1 February (kick-off: 21.00 CET).
Chile are currently sixth in the South American group and just one point behind the teams in fourth and fifth. There are still four games to play – so it is still possible for them to qualify for the World Cup finals.
Upcoming international fixtures:
Piero Hincapie (Ecuador)
Thursday, 27 January (22 .00 CET): Ecuador vs Brazil
Wednesday, 2 February (03.00 CET): Peru vs Ecuador
Charles Aránguiz (Chile)
Friday, 28 January (01.15 CET): Chile vs Argentina
Tuesday, 1 February (21.00 CET): Bolivia vs Chile
The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
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When Exequiel Palacios moved from the Argentinian club River Plate to Bayer Leverkusen on 1 January 2020, the then 21-year-old could not have imagined just how successful the next six and a half years would be for him. Pala, as he is known, had already won the Copa Libertadores – the most prestigious competition in South American club football – with River Plate. But there were still so many more trophies to come.
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To mark Exequiel Palacios’s departure, we’ve put together a compilation of the midfielder’s finest and most important goals from his six-and-a-half years at the club.
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