Lukas Hradecky can achieve a lot in the next two weeks: If the keeper and his Finnish team-mates pick up more than one point against Lichtenstein and Hungary then the North Europeans will be in the European Championship finals for the first time. "We can make a piece of history for our country," said the 29-year-old full of anticipation. Kai Havertz wanted to have the same feeling as one of the three Bayer 04 players called up to the Germany squad. However, the 20-year-old suffered an injury in the Bundesliga clash with VfL Wolfsburg (2-0) and has now had to drop out of the forthcoming matches for Germany.
Nadiem Amiri and Jonathan Tah (both Germany):
Saturday 16 November (20.45 CET in Mönchengladbach): Germany v Belarus (Euro qualifier, Group C)
Tuesday 19 November (20.45 CET in Frankfurt): Germany v Northern Ireland (Euro qualifier, Group C)
Julian Baumgartlinger and Aleksandar Dragovic (both Austria:
Saturday 16 November (20.45 CET in Vienna): Austria v North Macedonia (Euro qualifier, Group G)
Tuesday 19 November (20.45 CET in Riga): Latvia v Austria (Euro qualifier, Group G)
Lukas Hradecky and Joel Pohjanpalo (both Finland):
Friday 15 November (18.00 CET in Helsinki): Finland v Liechtenstein (Euro qualifier, Group J)
Monday 18 November (20.45 CET in Athen): Greece v Finnland (Euro qualifier, Group J)
Lucas Alario (Argentina):
Friday 15 November (18.00 CET in Riad): Brazil v Argentina (friendly)
Monday 18 November (20.15 CET in Tel-Aviv): Argentina v Uruguay (friendly)
Charles Aranguiz (Chile):
Wednesday 20 November (02.30 CET in Lima): Peru v Chile (friendly)
Paulinho (Brazil U23):
Thursday 14 November (20.30 CET in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria): Brasilien U23 v USA U23 (friendly)
Moussa Diaby (France U21):
Friday 15 November (21.00 CET in Nancy): France U21 v Georgia U21 (Euro qualifier, Group 2)
Tuesday 19 November (19.00 CET in Neuchatel): Switzerland U21 v France U21 (Euro qualifier, Group 2)
Panagiotis Retsos (Greece U21):
Friday 15 November (20.00 CET in Edinburgh): Scotland U21 v Greece U21 (Euro qualifier, Group 4)
Adrian Stanilewicz (Poland U20):
Thursday 14 November (16.00 CET in Chojnice): Poland U20 v Switzerland U20 (U20 Elite League)
Monday 18 November (17.00 CET in Bytow): Poland U20 v Norway U20 (Freundschaftsspiel)
Marcel Lotka (Poland U19):
Wednesday 13 November (14.00 CET in Newport): Wales U19 v Poland U19 (Euro qualifier, Group 5)
Saturday 16 November (14.00 CET in Newport): Poland U19 v Kosovo U19 (Euro qualifier, Group 5)
Tuesday 19 November (14.00 CET in Cardiff): Poland U19 v Russia U19 (Euro qualifier, Group 5)
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
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Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
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Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
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Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
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