Michael Urbansky, recently assistant coach for the Germany Women's team under Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, is in charge of the Germany U19 Women's team as head coach for the first time in the two international fixtures against the Netherlands on 24 February (kick-off: 19.00 CET) and against Italy on 27 February (kick-off: 16.00 CET). He follows Kathrin Peter, who is now in charge of the Germany U20 Women. In his squad of 22 players, there are six from the Bundesliga squad of the Bayer 04 Women in goalkeeper Anne Moll plus the outfield players Paulina Bartz, Loreen Bender, Delice Boboy, Estrella Merino Gonzalez and Julia Mickenhagen. The two friendlies for the U19s, which are part of preparations for the crucial European Championship qualifying round of the start of April, will be played in La Nucia in Spain. In addition to the sextet, Sofie Zdebel is also away with the Germany youth set-up: The midfielder was called up by Peter for the 24-player squad for the international trip to Spain. Germany first play the hosts in Alicante on 22 February (kick-off: 18.00 CET) and then they face Mexico in Benidorm on 25 February (kick-off: 18.00 CET).
"This large number of players called up makes us proud and is an indication of our work and, at the same time, also an expression of our club philosophy," said Achim Feifel, sporting director of the Bayer 04 Women: "We want to give young and talented players the chance to develop and step up to the Bundesliga. But, at the same time, it's also a special challenge for us because it is important to offer these players more and more time on the pitch."
After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
Show more
When Exequiel Palacios moved from the Argentinian club River Plate to Bayer Leverkusen on 1 January 2020, the then 21-year-old could not have imagined just how successful the next six and a half years would be for him. Pala, as he is known, had already won the Copa Libertadores – the most prestigious competition in South American club football – with River Plate. But there were still so many more trophies to come.
Show more
To mark Exequiel Palacios’s departure, we’ve put together a compilation of the midfielder’s finest and most important goals from his six-and-a-half years at the club.
Show more
Newly promoted SV 07 Elversberg will begin the 2026/27 season as Bundesliga club number 59. The Saarland club start their first Bundesliga campaign at home to the Werkself on Saturday, 29 August (kick-off 15:30 CEST) at the URSAPHARM Arena on Kaiserlinde, which is currently being rebuilt. For one Leverkusen player in the ‘Elv’ line-up, the clash will be a special reunion. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show more
Ernest Poku is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen to play in the Turkish Süper Lig. The club has loaned the Dutch winger to Beşiktaş for one year. If certain criteria are met, the Istanbul club – who finished fourth in the Turkish top flight last season – will be obliged to make the move permanent.
Show more
