
Leno played in goal for Germany against the four-time World Cup winners in his third full international. Benjamin Henrichs, who made his debut against San Marino, joined Jonathan Tah and Kevin Volland on the subs' bench.
This was the third time Germany have played Italy this year – the two previous matches were won by Joachim Löw and his players with the last victory on penalties in the Euro 2016 quarter-final tie in France.
The game at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium developed into an entertaining encounter as both sides endeavoured to get on the front foot. The best chances for Germany in the first 45 minutes fell to Leon Goretzka (12'), Ilkay Gündogan (27', 32') and Thomas Müller (44'). The Italians had good chances through Rugani (13'), with a long-range effort that did not trouble Leno, and Immobile (25').
In the second half, Löw brought on Bayer 04 central defender Jonathan Tah in place of Mats Hummels and the Italians up the pressure. Kevin Volland came off the bench on the hour mark. The Werkself striker, making his tenth full international appearance, immediately brought life to the German attack. He had a goal chalked off due to an offside decision on 62 minutes and he put a shot just wide of the post on 73 minutes.
The Italians also had very good chances. Leno pulled off a great save on 71 minutes to keep out a shot from Bernardeschi. Shortly after that, luck was on his side as Belotti only hit the woodwork. "I think we can live with 0-0. We could have won with a bit more luck. Overall, I think we put on a great display," said Leno after the game
Draw for Austria, victory for Croatia
The friendly between Austria and Slovakia also ended goalless. Julian Baumgartlinger and Aleksandar Dragovic were in the starting eleven for the hosts. Ramazan Özcan did not play. Baumgartlinger came off at half-time while Dragovic played the full 90 minutes.
Tin Jedvaj played the full 90 minutes for Croatia and produced a convincing performance in their 3-0 win away to Northern Ireland.
Draw for Robbie Kruse and the Socceroos
Robbie Kruse and his Australia team-mates endured a tough shift on Tuesday afternoon. The Socceroos could only manage a 2-2 draw against Thailand in Bangkok. Kruse started and played the whole game. Australia are currently third in the Asia group the World Cup qualifiers but are just one point behind Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Mehmedi on course with Switzerland
Admir Mehmedi and Switzerland played on Sunday in the World Cup qualifiers where they picked up a fourth win in four games. The Swiss beat the Faroe Islands 2-0 and are currently on course to qualify for the World Cup as group leaders. Mehmedi, who hit the post on 78 minutes, played the full game. Switzerland now have a three-point lead over Euro 2016 winners Portugal who they beat 2-0 in the first group match.


The Werkself's training camp in Weimarer Land all in one place: in our daily blog you'll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day three (Tuesday 4 August) begins with a thorough open session on the pitch. After lunch, some players have media engagements at the team hotel, and then the team come together for a barbecue in the evening.
Show more
Nine matches against teams from nine countries, two penalty shoot-outs won, and encounters that went far beyond football: As with last year, the Inklusionswerkself enjoyed an extraordinary week at the Genuine Cup 2026 in Houston, USA, and made memories that will last a lifetime. This year, the Leverkusen side took part as Germany’s official representatives and, accordingly, took to the pitch in Germany kit. Together with 53 teams from 53 nations, the Black and Reds once again sent a powerful message of inclusion and participation – and also impressed on the pitch by winning their group.
Show more
The Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land all in one place: in our daily blog, you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. The programme for day two (Monday, 3 August) centres on two training sessions – one in the morning (open to the public) and one in the early evening (behind closed doors) – at the nearby training grounds. In the afternoon, fans can look forward to a big fan meet-up with club legend Paulo Sergio at Schloss Blankenhain.
Show more
“Say hello to the Werkself!” – With this request, Loïc Bade gathers everybody in front of his GoPro: Including team-mates like Ibrahim Maza, Lucas Vázquez, Aleix Garcia and Ernest Poku, or Bayer 04 CEO Fernando Carro, head coach Carles Martínez, or even the reception team at the Spa & GolfResort Weimarer Land. In between, there are glimpses of the pool area and the Werkself’s team quarters. Enjoy!
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended Abdoulaye Faye’s contract by a further year to 30 June 2031. During the 2026/27 season, the talented defender will play for Celta Vigo on loan without an option to buy. The 21-year-old Senegalese is set to feature in La Liga and the UEFA Europa League with last season’s sixth-placed side in Spain.
Show more