The first Bayer 04 players involved in this year's pan-European Championship were the Finns Lukas Hradecky and Joel Pohjanpalo, who was on loan at Union Berlin last season. The Eagle Owls faced Denmark in Copenhagen. However, the first match for Finland in a major football tournament was dominated by a shocking incident on the pitch.
The Danish world-class player Christian Eriksen collapsed a few minutes before the half-time whistle and he had to be resuscitated on the pitch. The midfielder with the Italian champions Inter Milan is now in a stable condition. Eriksen sounded the all clear himself from hospital saying "I feel better." Bayer 04 wish him a full and speedy recovery.
After an interruption of almost two hours, with the Danish players in contact with Eriksen, the game continued. Over the course of the second half, the two Leverkusen players played a decisive role on the pitch at the Parken Stadium: Pohjanpalo headed the opening goal on 59 minutes and a quarter of an hour later Hradecky saved a penalty from Denmark's Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg – to secure the three points. Finland held on to the 1-0 scoreline in the closing minutes. Russia are their next opponents on Wednesday, 16 June (kick-off:15.00 CEST)
Aleksandar Dragovic and Julian Baumgartlinger started the Euro 2020 finals exactly 24 hours after their teammates. The Leverkusen duo were with Austria in Bucharest for the game against Euro newcomers North Macedonia who proved to be a hard nut to crack. Attacking stalwart Goren Pandev equalised on 28 minutes after Austria full-back Stefan Lainer opened the scoring (18'). The two sides went into the break with a surprising 1-1 scoreline.
Dragovic did not reappear for the second half after suffering a cut from an elbow in the first 45. The 30-year-old, who will be playing for Red Star Belgrade next season, was able to enjoy the deserved victory from the sidelines. Michael Gregoritsch (78’) and Mark Arnautovic (89') sealed the first-ever European Championship finals win for Austria.
Good news: Baumgartlinger, sidelined for four months following a cruciate operation at the end of January, came on in added time. The 33-year-old took the captain's armband. A nice moment at the end of a successful Euro 2020 opening match for Austria. Baumi, Drago and Co. are back in action against the Netherlands on Thursday, 17 June (kick-off: 21.00 CEST).
The Czech Republic started the new Euro 2020 week against Scotland with the Werkself centre forward Patrik Schick in the line-up. Only a quarter of an hour had gone in the match in Glasgow when our number 14 had a great chance. But the Scotland keeper David Marshall made the save.
The Bayer 04 striker was clinical shortly before the half-time whistle: Schick converted a cross from the right with an excellent header to open the scoring on 42 minutes. And it got even better on this afternoon! Seven minutes after the restart, Schick saw that Marshall was a long way out of his goal. The Czech front man tried his luck from the halfway line and doubled the scoreline at 2-0 from almost 50 yards out – a stroke of genius.
His intention of, "supporting the team on the pitch with as many goals as possible", has been put into practice early on in the tournament by the Leverkusen forward. And one thing is certain: Schick will again be keen to score against the Croats on Friday, 18 June (kick-off: 18.00 CEST)...
Following last weekend’s big game against Wolfsburg, Bayer 04 Women face another exciting challenge as they visit Hoffenheim to kick off Matchday 3 in the Google Pixel Bundesliga on Friday (kick-off: 18:30 CEST).
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Under the slogan ‘Holidays without War’, 60 children from war-torn Ukraine took part in the summer camp organised by the German-Ukrainian association Blau-Gelbes Kreuz in Leverkusen and the surrounding area in August. The children aged between 10 and 14 – many of whom have lost their parents in the war – come from the Ukrainian twin towns of Leverkusen, Cologne and Monheim am Rhein: Nikopol, Dnipro and Volodymyr. Bayer 04, Bayer AG and TSV Bayer 04 supported the camp to mark its 10th anniversary, enabling even more children and young people than in previous years to spend a few carefree days’ holiday away from the war in the Rhineland.
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Midfielder Ruby Grant is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and joining Portuguese runners-up Sporting CP a year before her contract expires. The 24-year-old has been at the Werkself since January 2025.
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Bayer 04 have loaned Brazilian full-back Arthur to Bundesliga side Werder Bremen for one year. Arthur Augusto de Matos Soares – the full name of the right-back – has a contract with Leverkusen until 30 June 2031. At Werder, the 23-year-old is expected to make an impact and help the long-established club further consolidate their position in the Bundesliga.
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