After two defeats in succession, Chile got back on track in the race to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with Bayer 04 midfielder Charles Aránguiz in the side. La Roja beat closest rivals Bolivia 3-2. The matchwinner was Inter Milan's Alexis Sánchez with a brace. Aránguiz was substituted on 67 minutes.
Chile are now sixth in the South American qualifying group with a two-point gap to the play-off place of fifth and three to fourth spot, which would qualify them directly for the World Cup. The last two crucial matches will be played at the end of March. Aránguiz and Co. will face the already qualified Brazil, currently top of the group, as well as fourth-placed Uruguay.
The situation for Ecuador is much more relaxed: The team including Werkself player Piero Hincapie secured a 1-1 draw in Peru overnight and the Leverkusen defender again went the full distance. The result means they are still in third place and, with two games to go, they are four points above the play-off spot of fifth.
At the end of March, Hincapie and Co. play Paraguay, who have no chance of qualifying for the World Cup, as well as already qualified Argentina.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended midfielder Noah Mbamba’s contract by twelve months and sent the Belgian U21 international on loan to France. At FC Lorient, the 21-year-old – whose contract at Leverkusen now runs to 30 June 2029 – is set to gain playing time in Ligue 1 and, through strong performances and further development, put himself in the running for a future place in the Werkself squad.
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Spurred on by a flawless hat-trick from Cornelia Kramer, the Bayer 04 women’s team won their penultimate pre-season friendly in commanding fashion. As part of the season launch, the Werkself beat Dutch top-flight side Feyenoord 7–0. In front of 3,000 spectators at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, Kramer (6’, 25’, 45’), Sofie Zdebel (47’), Maja Sternad (59'), Natasha Kowalski (83') and Vanessa Fudalla (86') scored the goals for coach Roberto Pätzold’s side.
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The Shareholders’ Committee of Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH has extended the contracts of the two managing directors, Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes, ahead of schedule. The CEO, Fernando Carro (62), will continue in his role until 30 June 2029, and managing director sport Simon Rolfes (44) will remain in post until 30 June 2031.
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There’s plenty for Bayer 04 fans to enjoy both on and off the pitch at the official 2026 season launch. In addition to the women’s team taking on Feyenoord at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium at 13:15 CEST and the men’s team facing Sevilla at the BayArena at 15:30 CEST, fans of all ages can enjoy a range of activities – and get to meet Bayer 04 players and former players in the process. The Fanwelt is also offering a special promotion: buy a new shirt and get free printing! Here’s an overview of everything you need to know about the season launch, including the live streams.
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