Wirtz and Retsos will not join national squads
In agreement with Bayer 04 and their national associations, Florian Wirtz and Panos Retsos will not be involved in international fixtures this week.
Germany coach Stefan Kuntz selected Wirtz for the Germany U21 squad for the first time for the Euro qualifiers against Moldova on 3 September and Belgium on 8 September. In agreement with Bayer 04 head coach Peter Bosz, Kuntz will now manage without the 17-year-old.
"Of course, we have important games in September. Nevertheless, we look at each individual player to decide what's best for his current situation and further development. We would have been very happy to have Florian Wirtz with us. But that doesn't make sense at the moment with the break after the Europa League tournament. He first needs to have a decent pre-season before his first U21 internationals," explained the Germany coach.
In the case of Panos Retsos, who should be joining the Greece U21 squad for the two Euro qualifiers against the Czech Republic and San Marino, Bayer 04 and the Greek FA have both agreed that Retsos should complete the pre-season ahead of the 2020/21 campaign with the Werkself and miss out on the internationals.
Related News
Bayer 04 - 25.07.2026
Talented defender with a promising future: Luca Erlein profiled
Trophies as a youth, appearances in the pro game and his first taste of international competition: new arrival Luca Erlein, who has been signed from TSG Hoffenheim and is set to go out on loan to Bundesliga 2 newcomers Energie Cottbus for the coming season, can already look back on some remarkable achievements and moments in his fledgling career. We take a closer look at the 19-year-old right-back, who can also fill other roles across the defensive line.
Show more
Business - 24.07.2026
Imping is Bayer 04’s new coffee partner
Bayer 04 Leverkusen has a new coffee partner. The club has agreed a long-term partnership with the Bocholt-based roastery Imping, running to 30 June 2031. The exclusive partnership with the family-run business includes the installation of fully automatic coffee machines at the BayArena, as well as the right to supply and serve coffee products in the business areas during Werkself home games.
Show more
Bayer 04 - 23.07.2026
Meet the legends, pub quiz and more: events fans can look forward to at the summer training camp
Plenty going on both on and off the pitch: The Bayer 04 fan support team has organised a number of highlights for fans visiting the Werkself 2026/27 summer training camp in Blankenhain, in the Weimarer Land region. Registration for the events is now open. All the details at a glance.
Show more
Women - 23.07.2026
s2-Software remains Bayer 04 Women’s team sleeve sponsor
The Bayer 04 Leverkusen Women’s team and s2-Software are continuing their long-term partnership: The Werkself and the provider of pre-owned Microsoft licences have extended their contract by two years to 2028. This means s2-Software will remain the Bayer 04 sleeve sponsor for all matches in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga.
Show more
Women - 22.07.2026
BIOGENA new performance partner for Bayer 04 Women
BIOGENA is the new performance partner for the Bayer 04 Leverkusen Women’s team. Under a partnership initially set to run for three years, the club and the leading Austrian micronutrient company are pooling their expertise in the areas of health, fitness and top-level performance.
Show more
