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.
Bayer 04 are away to Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb on Matchday 5 of the league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League. The game kicks off on Thursday 26 November at 18:45 CET at the Maksimir Stadium. All the information on ticket sales.
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It wasn’t just on the pitch that there was cause for celebration around the Werkself’s 2–1 home win against SC Freiburg. Plenty of happy faces could be seen near the dugouts at half-time too. Once again, CEO Fernando Carro, alongside former striker and club ambassador Stefan Kießling, paid tribute to eight supporters’ clubs celebrating up to their 30th anniversary on behalf of Bayer 04.
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It was a match that will live long in the memory of everyone involved: The Bayer 04 U19s celebrated their seventh win in seven matches in the DFB Youth League preliminary round – and yet it was a very special victory indeed: in the 4–3 (1–1) win at VfL Bochum 1848, no fewer than five goals came in the final quarter of an hour. As the 90th minute approached, coach Patrick Greveraars’s side found themselves behind, but then fought back in true ‘Laterkusen’ style.
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Under Carles Martínez, the Werkself have so far proved unbeatable at the BayArena. The Spaniard has led his team to victory in all three of their most recent home matches – and, it's worth noting, without conceding a single goal. On Sunday, 18 October (kick-off: 15:30 CEST / live on DAZN and Werkself Radio), current league leaders SC Freiburg will make the trip to Leverkusen, but will be without their top scorer. What's more, the Werkself have won all three of their previous home matches against the Black Forest club. With a goal, Patrik Schick could not only secure a fourth consecutive victory but also set a memorable record. Meanwhile, on what will be the ‘Health Day' at the BayArena, much of the focus will be on physical wellbeing. Today's matchday news.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04 Women's 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 7 of the 2026/27 Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga.
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