The group stage of the European Championship ended with the games on Wednesday night. 16 of the 24 teams are through to the last 16. That includes: A Werkself trio plus Germany with two former Leverkusen players, with one playing a significant part in Germany's progress to the knockout rounds.
The Germany team under coach Joachim Löw were on the verge of going out at the group stage for much of the game. In the final group match, the favourites were surprisingly a goal down to the underdogs from Hungary on eleven minutes in Group F. The scoreline remained the same until Kai Havertz broke through on 66 minutes with a crucial equaliser. The Bayer 04 home-grown player, who had been at Leverkusen for ten years up to the summer, scored his next important goal following on from his winner for Chelsea in the Champions League final. Havertz scored with a header with an assist from Mats Hummels.
Parity, which would have been enough for Germany to go through to the next round, lasted for just two minutes – Germany were behind again. Salvation came with the leveller at 2-2 scored by Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich) to the relief of the whole nation. While Havertz went off before that, substitute Kevin Volland was another former Leverkusen player who could celebrate the second Germany goal on the pitch.
The dramatic progress to the Round of 16 for Germany was watched live on ZDF by an average of 25.74 million viewers. That was the biggest TV audience in Germany in the current European Championship so far. The share was an impressive 71.4%. The previous two matches involving Germany against France (0-1) and Portugal (4-2) were watched by over 20 million people. The classic encounter in the last 16 between England and Germany on Tuesday night, 29 June (kick-off: 18.00 CEST) could see the ratings go even higher…
Thursday and Friday are days off for the players at the Euro finals with the first Round of 16 matches starting at the weekend – unfortunately not including Finland with Lukas Hradecky and Joel Pohjanpalo. The number of points and inferior goal difference for the third-placed Scandinavian team were not enough to take them through to the next round. A trio remains to fly the Black and Red Euros flag.
Aleksandar Dragovic and Julian Baumgartlinger with Austria face Italy at Wembley on Saturday night at 21.00 CEST. That's followed the next day by Patrik Schick and the Czech Republic playing the Netherlands for a place in the quarter-finals. That game in Budapest kicks off at 18.00 CEST. Good luck, lads.
Aleksandar Dragovic is climbing higher and higher – in the ranking of most-capped Austrians. The 30-year-old central defender, will play for Red Star Belgrade next season, made his 93rd international appearance in Austria's Euro 2020 game against Ukraine. That puts Drago level with Gerhard Hanappi. Only Andreas Herzog (103 caps) and Toni Polster (95) are ahead of the player born in Vienna. And who knows, perhaps the Werkself player will be able to catch the runner-up over the course of this tournament...
The day off in the European Championship will definitely be used by three former Bayer 04 players to celebrate their birthdays with their nearest and dearest. Leverkusen's Bundesliga promotion goalkeeper Fred Bockholt celebrates his 78th birthday today. Striker Isaac Kiese Tellin, on loan at the Werkself in 2018/19, is 29. He is now playing for Kasimpasa in Turkey. The third birthday boy is Richard Sukuta-Pasu. Brought through the ranks at Kurtekotten, the now 31-year-old is plying his trade in Thailand with Police Tero FC. Happy birthday to all three.
They had their hands full in the VAR centre in Cologne: eight goals were scored at the MEWA Arena on Saturday afternoon, but only four of them were allowed in the end as the Werkself and 1. FSV Mainz 05 closed the season with a 2-2 draw. It means Bayer 04 end the 2024/25 campaign as runners-up with 69 points, representing the fourth-best season in the club's history. What's more, the Werkself are now unbeaten away from home in two whole Bundesliga seasons, with their last away defeat coming exactly two years ago on Matchday 34 of the 2022/23 season at VfL Bochum. The Black-and-Reds can continue the record run next season - albeit without Alonso and Tah. Read what else the eventful final game for the head coach and the defensive leader had to offer in the Werkself Review.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 2-2 draw at Mainz 05 on the 34th matchday of the Bundesliga 2024/25...
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Bayer 04’s final game of the 2024/25 Bundesliga season saw VAR drama and produced a new record for away results with a 2-2 draw in Mainz. The hosts had several goals ruled out before Paul Nebel put them ahead. Patrik Schick’s brace then turned things around in the second half before Jonathan Burkardt’s penalty levelled the game again. It means Leverkusen have now gone 34 away games without defeat in the Bundesliga, which no team has ever done before.
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The Werkself bring down the curtain on their 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign with a game away at Mainz on Saturday (kick-off: 3.30pm CEST). Here’s all you need to know ahead of the Matchday 34 meeting at the MEWA Arena.
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Xabi Alonso is leaving Leverkusen at the end of the season. In his final interview as Werkself coach, he talks about his two-and-a-half years at the helm, the greatest moments of his historic tenure and his appreciation of the connection with the fans and players throughout their remarkable progress together.
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