Rudelic played for Croatia against Switzerland on Friday with the encounter ending in a 1-1 draw. The striker scored the opening goal on three minutes. That also happened in the meeting with Romania last Tuesday when Rudelic put Croatia 1-0 up on nine minutes. The Romanians did turn the game round and went on to win 4-1. With the announcement of a positive coronavirus test for one of her teammates, the Bayer 04 player immediately went into a five-day period of self-isolation as a precaution. The 28-year-old will not be available for Sunday’s Bundesliga match away to Turbine Potsdam (14.00 CEST).
Hungary, with Henrietta Csiszár, Lilla Turanyi and Dóra Zellerall in the starting eleven, were on the wrong end of a disappointing 8-0 defeat to Sweden in the first game in the international break. Csiszár was substituted on 57 minutes, Turanyi was shown a yellow card. The performance against Latvia was appreciably better; the Werkself players had a big part in a 5-0 victory: Zeller scored the opener on nine minutes and doubled the lead on 26. Turanyi made it 4-0 (54') and scored the second of her brace for the 5-0 scoreline in added time. Csiszár came off the bench against Latvia on 63 minutes.
Also in Group F, Iceland followed the example of the Hungarians against Latvia with a runaway 9-0 victory. Sandra Maria Jessen watched proceedings from the bench. Jessen also missed out in the 1-1 draw with Sweden.
Sylwia Matysik twice played for Poland against the Czech Republic: The first game ended goalless in the return match in a 2-0 defeat. The Pole played the full 90 minutes in the first match and 76 minutes in the second.
Austria secured a comfortable 5-0 victory against Kazakhstan – Viktoria Pinther came off the bench for a brief four-minute appearance late on.
Standing on the pitch where the Werkself players perform - for many Bayer 04 club members, this wish became reality at this year's Members' kickabout. Around 400 active participants of all ages took the opportunity to experience the BayArena from a new and special perspective. And there was also plenty going on in the stands: The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors in total and provided an atmospheric end to the season.
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Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
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Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
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