
The 18-year-old as again in the Germany squad. During the last international break, Wirtz became the youngest Germany full international in the history the Werkself. Coach Hansi Flick is once again shown his confidence in him. Germany play Romania at the Volkspark Stadium in Hamburg on Friday, 8 October (kick-off: 20.45 CEST), and three days later, the captain Manuel Neuer and Co. are away in North Macedonia (11 October, kick-off: 20.45 CEST).
Charles Aránguiz (Chile), Piero Hincapie (Ecuador), Exequiel Palacios and Lucas Alario (both Argentina) face long-distance flights to South America. All four Bayer 04 players are involved in three World Cup qualifiers. Palacios and Alario, with Argentina, first play Paraguay (8 October, kick-off: 02.00 CEST). The Albiceleste then play Uruguay on 11 October (kick-off: 01.30 CEST).
Jeremie Frimpong and Mitchel Bakker are again with the Holland U21 team during the forthcoming international break. The Werkself defenders are away with the Oranje against Switzerland (8 October, kick-off: 19.00 CEST) matters followed by a home match against Wales (12 October, kick-off: 20.00 CEST). Bayer 04 captain Lukas Hradecky with Finland is up against Ukraine (9 October, kick-off: 19.00 CEST) and Kazakhstan (12 October, kick-off: 16.00 CEST).
Florian Wirtz (World Cup qualifiers)
8.10.21, 20.45 CEST, Germany vs Romania, Hamburg
11.10.21, 20.45 CEST, North Macedonia vs Germany, Skopje
Charles Aránguiz (World Cup qualifiers)
8.10.21, 03.00 CEST, Peru vs Chile, Lima
11.10.21, 02.00 CEST, Chile vs Paraguay, Santiago
15.10.21, 02.00 CEST, Chile vs Venezuela, Santiago
Odilon Kossounou (World Cup qualifiers)
8.10.21, 15.00 CEST, Malawi vs Ivory Coast, Johannesburg
11.10.21, 18.00 CEST, Ivory Coast vs Malawi, Cotonou
Exequiel Palacios and Lucas Alario (World Cup qualifiers)
8.10.21, 02.00 CEST, Paraguay vs Argentina, Asuncíon
11.10.21, 01.30 CEST, Argentina vs Uruguay, Buenos Aires
15.10.21, 01.30 CEST, Argentina vs Peru, Buenos Aires
Mitchel Bakker and Jeremie Frimpong (U21 Euros qualifiers)
8.10.21, 19.00 CEST, Switzerland vs Netherlands, Lausanne
12.10.21, 20.00 CEST, Netherlands vs Wales, Nijmegen
Amine Adli (U21 Euros qualifiers)
8.10.21, 18.30 CEST, France vs Ukraine, Brest
12.10.21, 18.30 CEST, Serbia vs Francs, Belgrade
Lukas Hradecky (World Cup qualifiers)
9.10.21, 18.00 CEST, Finland vs Ukraine, Helsinki
12.10.21, 16.00 CEST, Kazakhstan vs Finland, Astana
Patrik Schick (World Cup qualifiers)
8.10.21, 20.45 CEST, Czech Republic vs Wales, Prague
11.10.21, 20.45 CEST, Belarus vs Czech Republic, Kazan
Andrey Lunev (World Cup qualifiers)
8.10.21, 20.45 CEST, Russia vs Slovakia, Kazan
11.10.21, 20.45 CEST, Slovenia vs Russia, Maribor
Moussa Diaby (Nations League)
7.10.21, 20.45 CEST, Belgium vs France, Turin (Semi-final)
10.10.21, 20.45 CEST, France/Belgium vs Italy/Spain, Turin (Final or third-place match)
Piero Hincapie (World Cup qualifiers)
8.10.21, 02.30 CEST, Ecuador vs Bolivia, Guayaquil
10.10.21, 22.30 CEST, Venezuela vs Ecuador, Caracas
14.10.21, 23.00 CEST, Colombia vs Ecuador, Barranquilla
Zidan Sertdemir (U17 Euro qualifiers)
6.10.21, Montenegro vs Denmark, Paola
9.10.21, Malta vs Denmark, Paola
12.10.21, Denmark vs Turkey, Paola

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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Newly promoted SV 07 Elversberg will begin the 2026/27 season as Bundesliga club number 59. The Saarland club start their first Bundesliga campaign at home to the Werkself on Saturday, 29 August (kick-off 15:30 CEST) at the URSAPHARM Arena on Kaiserlinde, which is currently being rebuilt. For one Leverkusen player in the ‘Elv’ line-up, the clash will be a special reunion. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Ernest Poku is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen to play in the Turkish Süper Lig. The club has loaned the Dutch winger to Beşiktaş for one year. If certain criteria are met, the Istanbul club – who finished fourth in the Turkish top flight last season – will be obliged to make the move permanent.
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The fixture details for the Bayer 04 Women’s first match in the 2026/27 DFB Pokal has been confirmed: As announced by the German Football Association (DFB) on Thursday morning, the Leverkusen Women will face second-tier side FC Viktoria Berlin in the first round on Sunday 27 September at 14:00 CEST.
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