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.
Today brings the first match of the season for the Werkself. Bayer 04 kick off the 2026/27 campaign today, Saturday 22 August, at 13:00 CEST with a first-round DFB Pokal tie away to third-tier side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. The 3,700 travelling fans can not only look forward to what will hopefully be a successful start to the season, but also now organise their journeys to Black and Reds games even more easily via the WERKSELFgo car-share platform. Meanwhile, following two defeats at the start of the league season, SV Wehen are hoping to spring a surprise in the DFB Pokal tie. Today’s matchday news.
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Carolin Simon is the new captain of the Bayer 04 women’s team. The full-back, who joined from Bayern Munich in the summer, will take over the captain’s armband for the 2026/27 season. Simon returned to Leverkusen in the summer after ten years away. The 33-year-old succeeds goalkeeper Friederike Repohl, who retired at the end of last season.
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Bayer 04 start the 2026/27 season away to third-division side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. Ahead of the DFB Pokal tie on Saturday 22 August (kick-off: 13:00 CEST), head coach Carles Martínez spoke at the pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon. The topics: anticipation, passion, the fans’ support – and the captaincy for the new season.
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After 62 days of preparation, the time has finally come: the Werkself kick off the new Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga season on Sunday (16:00 CEST) with an away match at RB Leipzig. Following a major shake-up over the summer, with eleven players leaving and twelve new signings, initial impressions from the past few weeks have given manager Roberto Pätzold great cause for optimism.
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SV Wehen Wiesbaden undoubtedly envisaged a different start to the new season. After two matchdays, the Hessen side currently sit bottom of the Liga 3 table. On Saturday 22 August (kick-off: 13:00 CEST), SVWW host the Werkself in the first round of the DFB Pokal at their home ground, the BRITA Arena. It was there, in this very competition a year ago, that the club almost pulled off a massive upset. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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