Werkself player Exequiel Palacios was on the winning side for Argentina in the clash between the Copa América winners and the European champions with a 3-0 victory over Italy on Wednesday night. While it is the second Finalissima title for La Albiceleste from South America following on from 1993, Palacios had the trophy in his hands for the first time at Wembley Stadium. The 23-year-old midfielder came on as a substitute on 75 minutes.
For Palacios, at Leverkusen since January 2020, it is his second title for Argentina since winning the COPA America last year. At club level with the top-flight Argentinian side River Plate, he has already won the national cup (2017 and 2019) plus the South American equivalent of the Champions League in 2018. The Werkself number 25 has made 19 full international appearances to date and 52 for the Black and Reds. Congratulations, Pala.
Werkself players are in action for their countries in the next few days. Mitchel Bakker makes a start from a Black and Red perspective before the weekend with the Netherlands U21s in a Euros qualifier against Moldova (Friday 3 June, 18.45 CEST).
Two hours after the kick-off in the U21 Euros qualifier comes the game for France with Moussa Diaby against Denmark in the UEFA Nations League. From 21.00 CEST Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso) and Odilon Kossounou (Ivory Coast) have their first matches in the qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations.
In the night from Friday to Saturday, Ecuador with Piero Hincapie have a friendly against Nigeria (kick-off: 02.30 CEST), and on Saturday night there are the Nations League games for Germany with Jonathan Tah against Italy as well as for Finland with goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky against Bosnia-Herzegovina. Here are the upcoming internationals involving Leverkusen players.
A great honour for Heung-min Son: The former Werkself player (2013 to 2015) receives the highest sporting award in his home country South Korea on this Thursday afternoon. The 29-year-old star striker who has played for the top English club Tottenham Hotspur since his move from Bayer 04 in 2015 received the Cheongnyong medal from state president Yoon Suk-Yeol ahead of the international against Brazil (1-5). The former Leverkusen player became the first Asian player to be top goalscorer in the Premier League with 23 goals in 35 league matches.
Today (Thursday), Paulo Sergio, the most prolific Brazilian in a Werkself shirt, celebrates his 53rd birthday – Bayer 04 wish many happy returns. Paulo Sérgio Silvestre do Nascimento, his full name, made 121 Bundesliga appearances for the Black and Reds (47 goals) from 1993 to 1997. After his four years at Leverkusen, the 1994 World Cup winner moved on to AS Roma and then Bayern Munich.
Today is also the birthday of former Leverkusen player Fredrik Stenman (February 2006 to June 2007 – 28 Bundesliga appearances for Bayer 04), who is now 39 years old. The third birthday boy is the 45-year-old Iranian Dariush Yazdani, Who played at Leverkusen in the second half of the 1998/99 season making one appearance for the Black and Reds. Many happy returns to you too.
Bayer 04 have fond memories of their encounters with Heidenheim, including a resounding 6-0 win in the reverse fixture. Kasper Hjulmand’s side would very much like to produce a similarly clinical display as they now head to the Voith-Arena for Matchday 27 on Saturday (15:30 CET). But they come up against a team fighting for their Bundesliga lives at the bottom of the table, 10 points adrift of safety with time running out. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game in our matchday news.
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The Bayer 04 Women welcome FC Carl Zeiss Jena to the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on Sunday night in a white retro look - and in a unique Bayer 04 ‘50 Years of Fan Clubs’ special edition jersey. In sporting terms, head coach Roberto Pätzold's team will face the Bundesliga's bottom team at 18:30 CET looking to keep their chances of third place in the table alive with six games left to play.
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Bayer 04 return to Bundesliga action this weekend. Following their elimination in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League, the Werkself are away to FC Heidenheim 1846 on Saturday, 21 March (kick-off: 15:30 CET) on Bundesliga matchday 27. Ahead of the clash in the eastern Swabian Alps, head coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke about the importance of the fixture and the chances of qualifying for the Champions League next term.
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A quick look at the table shows the situation at FC Heidenheim is serious. The Bundesliga bottom club are already ten points behind the play-off spot with their backs to the wall in sporting terms. With eight games left to play, avoiding relegation appears to be a mission impossible. Nevertheless, they are far from flying the white flag at the Schlossberg ahead of the clash with the Werkself this Saturday, 21 March (kick-off: 15:30 CET). The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without the two strikers in the immediate future. Caroline Kehrer suffered a torn ligament in her right knee and Amy Wrigge tore her cruciate ligament.
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