
In the last Euros, Patrik Schick played a significant role in the Czech Republic qualifying for the quarter-finals – the 25-year-old netted an impressive five goals. And in the current league campaign he has demonstrated his quality as a striker in Black and Red: His tally so far is six goals in seven Bundesliga matches. So he was riding high going into the current international break.
Following the 2-2 draw against Wales, the Czech Republic met bottom of Group E Belarus on Monday night. The favourites took the lead on 22 minutes – Schick found the back of the net once again. And the Werkself striker was also directly involved in making it 2-0 with an assist for Adam Hlozek on 65 minutes. The striker ended his shift after 92 minutes with the victory putting Schick and Co. second in Group E. That will be enough to secure a slot in the play-offs for the Czech Republic.
Germany ended the current international break with an away match in North Macedonia. The capital Skopje was the venue for the game against the team second in Group J. The North Macedonians are the only team to take points off Germany in the current World Cup qualifiers (with a 2-1 win in March).
And the hosts competed well with the favourites in the opening stages of the match on Monday night. The deadlock was broken by Kai Havertz, who came through the youth ranks at Bayer 04, with the opener on 50 minutes. Florian Wirtz stepped onto the pitch at the national stadium ten minutes later – and he immediately made his mark.

Timo Werner doubled the lead on 70 minutes and the 18-year-old set up the central striker for his second goal three minutes later. The Germany team under coach Hansi Flick secured a comfortable 4-0 victory.
The international break also ended well for Russia and the Ivory Coast. The Russians remain top of the World Cup qualifying Group H after a 2-1 win in Slovenia. The Ivorians also won 2-1 in their World Cup qualifier at home to Malawi – and are also top of their Group D in Africa. Both Bayer 04 goalkeeper Andrey Lunev with Russia as well as central defender Odilon Kossounou (Ivory Coast) did not play in these matches.
Lukas Hradecky (World Cup qualifier)
12.10, 16.00 CEST, Kazakhstan vs Finland, Nur-Sultan
Exequiel Palacios und Lucas Alario (World Cup qualifier)
15.10, 01.30 CEST, Argentina vs Peru, Buenos Aires
Piero Hincapie (World Cup qualifier)
14.10, 23.00 CEST, Colombia vs Ecuador, Barranquilla
Mitchel Bakker and Jeremie Frimpong (U21 Euros qualifier)
12.10, 20.00 CEST, Netherlands vs Wales, Nijmegen
Amine Adli (U21 Euros qualifier)
12.10, 18.30 CEST, Serbia vs France, Belgrade
Zidan Sertdemir (U17 Euros qualifier)
12.10, 11.00 CEST, Denmark vs Turkey, Paola

Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
Show more
Bayer 04 rounded off 2025 with an excellent 3-1 win away at RB Leipzig and now head off on their holidays for the two-week winter break. The players and coaches will be back in Leverkusen to resume training early in January. Here’s an overview of what’s planned going into 2026.
Show more
Werkself TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 3-1 win at RB Leipzig Matchday 15 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season...
Show more
Bayer 04 ended the year with a 3-1 win away at RB Leipzig and will go into 2026 in third place in the Bundesliga table, leapfrogging their opponents, who had previously not dropped a point at the Red Bull Arena this season. Martin Terrier and Patrik Schick scored to turn around a first-half deficit before Montrell Culbreath rounded things off with a goal on his senior debut deep into added time. Ezequiel Fernández, Axel Tape and Lucas Vázquez also all returned from injury.
Show more