
At a press conference ahead of the international fixtures in the UEFA Nations League, Hansi Flick was asked about the chances of the currently injured Florian Wirtz playing in the World Cup in November 2022. “Flo Wirtz is one of our most highly gifted players.” However, it does depend on the 19-year-old “being 100% fit so that there are no risks at all. We will make sure that nothing goes wrong.”
Wirtz suffered a torn cruciate in the derby against FC Köln last March. That means just one thing for a football player: a long time on the sidelines and a tough path back to the pitch. The example of a 2014 World Cup winner does provide hope. Sami Khedira also suffered a torn cruciate back in November 2013 and he was fit again in time for the start of the World Cup in Brazil in June 2014.
The Bayer 04 number 27 is currently working daily on his comeback. He is certainly making great efforts at the Werkstatt, the Bayer 04 rehab centre. It remains to be seen if he’ll be fit again in November 2022 when Germany challenge for the World Cup in Qatar.
The German Football League (DFL), in tandem with their partner EA Sports, select spectacular incidents from every Bundesliga matchday for their #BLrecreated series, which are then presented in the FIFA football game format. On matchday 34, they opted for the winner at 2-1 scored by Exequiel Palacios in the match against SC Freiburg. The Argentina international gained possession on the halfway line in the seventh minute of added time, then shot from the semi-circle to secure three points for the Black and Reds very late on. Here's the video.
Bayer 04 midfielder Sylwia Matysik today celebrates her 25th birthday. The Poland international joined the Werkself from Polish top-flight club Gornik Leczna at the start of the 2020/21 season. The number four in the Bayer 04 Women’s team has made 31 appearances in the Women’s Bundesliga and Women’s DFB Cup over the past two seasons. Have a great day, Sylwia.

The meeting between fifth and sixth on Saturday afternoon (17 January, 15:30 CET) is a hard one to predict. While the Werkself can take confidence from their historic record at TSG Hoffenheim, the hosts are currently enjoying their second-best Bundesliga campaign and have lost just one of their last 10 games. Another good omen for Bayer 04: Daniel Schlager also refereed Leverkusen's last victory in Sinsheim (4-1). The Matchday News.
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At the end of the winter training camp in Portugal, the Bayer 04 Women convincingly mastered their friendly ahead of the start of the second half of the season. In the match against Swiss league leaders Servette FCCF, coach Roberto Pätzold's team won 3-0 at the Monte Gordo Sports Complex. Carlotta Wamser (4’), Vanessa Fudalla (18’) and Loreen Bender (53’) scored for Bayer 04, who have been preparing for the Rückrunde in the Algarve since last Saturday.
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The German Football League (DFL) has rescheduled the postponed fixture at Hamburger SV on Bundesliga matchday 17. The match, due to be played on Tuesday, has now been rescheduled for Wednesday, 4 March (kick-off: 20:30 CET).
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The Rückrunde is about to begin: The Werkself travel to TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday, 17 January (kick-off: 15:30 CET) on Bundesliga matchday 18. At the pre-match press conference on Friday lunchtime, head coach Kasper Hjulmand emphasised the double anticipation for the clash following Tuesday's postponement of the fixture at Hamburger SV. And he also talked about the tactical approach against an opponent on course for Champions League qualification.
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TSG Hoffenheim have had a tremendous season so far and are in absolute top form going into the new year. After another outstanding display against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Wednesday, TSG went above Bayer 04 in the table. On Saturday, 17 January (kick-off: 15:30 CET), coach Christian Ilzer's team will be looking to continue their run in the league against the Werkself. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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