Euro 2024: Czechia go out – Six Leverkusen players in last 16

+++ 26.06.: Six Leverkusen players in Round of 16 +++

The group stage of Euro 2024 is completed. Following the final games on matchday three, all the fixtures in the Round of 16 are confirmed as are the opponents for the Leverkusen players at the European Championship finals. A total of six Werkself players have reached the last 16. While Granit Xhaka faces Italy at 18.00 CEST on Saturday 29 June, Robert Andrich and Co. are up against Denmark three hours later. Alejandro Grimaldo's Spain play Georgia at 21.00 CEST on Sunday 30 June, Jeremie Frimpong and the Netherlands are in action on Tuesday 2 July against Romania at 18.00 CEST. 

+++ 26.06.: Czechia go out after tight game – Euro finals debut for Kovar +++

Adam Hlozek was in the starting XI for Czechia in the final game on matchday three in Group F against Turkey. The Czechs, who needed a win to reach the last 16, were involved in an exciting and hard-fought encounter with Turkey. The first setback came on 20 minutes: The already booked Czech player Antonin Barak was shown the red card after a foul. After the restart, Hlozek and Co. went a goal down with Hakan Calhanoglu finding the back of the net. While Hlozek was substituted shortly after the goal, Matej Kovar came onto the pitch. The keeper played his first minutes at the European Championship finals. Tomas Soucek levelled at 1-1 on 66 minutes but Turkey scored the winner in added time against a battling Czech side. Kovar and Co. were shown another red card. The exciting and emotional match, with 17 yellow cards in addition to the two reds, ended in a 2-1 defeat for Czechia. Finishing fourth in Group F sees the Werkself trio of Hlozek, Kovar and Patrik Schick depart from the Euro 2024 finals.

Georgia secured a surprise 2-0 victory over Portugal to go through to the Round of 16 in third place. Turkey finished second in Group F behind Portugal.

+++ 25.06.: Frimpong on bench - Germany play Denmark +++

The Netherlands played Austria in their last match in Group D on Tuesday night. The Oranje were already qualified for the Round of 16 but the final position in the group for the Netherlands was not certain. The Netherlands suffered a 3-2 defeat against Austria with Jeremie Frimpong not featuring in the game. The narrow defeat meant the Oranje ended up third in Group D with Austria finishing top. France drew 1-1 with Poland putting the Équipe Tricolore through to the Round of 16 in second place. Poland are now out of Euro 2024.

After the matches in Group D, the final games in Group C were played in the late evening. That determined who Germany with Robert Andrich and Co. would play in the Round of 16. As England drew 0-0 with Slovenia and Denmark and Serbia had a similar result, the Danes finished second in Group D and thereby provide the opposition for Germany in the last 16. The two teams face each other at 18.00 CEST on Saturday 29 June.

+++ 24.06.: Grimaldo Spain round off perfect group stage – Stanisic on verge of exit +++

A European Championship debut for Alejandro Grimaldo: The 28-year-old started for Spain on Monday night in their final match in Group B against Albania thereby making his first appearance in a Euro finals. Spain, already qualified for the Round of 16 before matchday three, scored the only goal of the game on 13 minutes when Ferran Torres netted the winner at 1-0. Alejandro Grimaldo played the full 90 minutes.

Josip Stanisic and Croatia played their final group match in the showdown against Italy. Both teams had the chance of reaching the last 16 as the runners-up in Group D behind Spain. The game was goalless for a long time before Croatia, with Stanisic in the starting XI, took the lead in the second half. Luka Modric missed a penalty but scored 31 seconds later. Stanisic and Co. held onto the lead until the last seconds of eight minutes of added time. Just as it looked like they were progress to the Round of 16, Italy levelled at the end of the match. The 1-1 draw put the Squadra Azzurra in second place behind Spain. Croatia, two points behind in third place, are on the verge of being knocked out of Euro 2024 but do have a slim chance of reaching the last 16 as one of the best third-placed sides.

+++ 23.06.: Head-to-head Leverkusen clash ends all square +++

In the final group match, Germany, with the Werkself trio of Jonathan Tah, Robert Andrich and Florian Wirtz, played Switzerland with Granit Xhaka in the line-up. Germany, already qualified for the Round of 16, appeared to have taken the lead on 17 minutes through Andrich who again started alongside Tah and Wirtz. The long-range strike by the Leverkusen midfielder was ruled out due to a foul by Jamal Musiala in the build-up. Switzerland took the lead ten minutes later. That scoreline would have seen Xhaka and Co. win the group to progress to the last 16 alongside Germany in second place. Two minutes into added time, Niclas Füllkrug levelled at 1-1 with a header to rescue a point for the team under coach Julian Nagelsmann and secure the group win late on. Switzerland, led by captain and record capped player Granit Xhaka, go through to the knockout rounds in second place. 

Xhaka played the full 90 minutes of Switzerland and was awarded the Man of the Match award to add to the one and in the opening match against Hungary. Jonathan Tah went off on 61 minutes. The Leverkusen defender was shown a yellow card, the second in the tournament, and is therefore suspended for the Round of 16. Robert Andrich was substituted on 65 minutes and Florian Wirtz on 76 minutes. Germany's Round of 16 game is on Saturday 29 June at 21.00 CEST with Switzerland playing earlier at 18.00 CEST. The opponents for the two teams are yet to be determined.

+++ 21.06: Netherlands on course for last 16 despite draw +++

Netherlands, with Jeremie Frimpong in the starting line-up, played out a 0-0 draw with France in their second group game. RB Leipzig's Xavi Simons did put the ball in the net for the Oranje in the 69th minute, but the goal was chalked off as teammate Denzel Dumfries was impeding France goalkeeper Mike Maignan in an offside position. Frimpong was substitued in the 73rd minute. Following the goalless draw, Netherlands remain top of Group D and can confirm victory with a win over Austria in the final group game. France are in second place ahead of Austria, while Poland, with zero points, are the first team to be knocked out of EURO 2024.

+++ 20.06: Grimaldo's Spain win crunch clash +++

Like Germany, Spain are also marching through their Group B. The 2008 and 2012 European champions followed up the 3-0 opening victory over Croatia with a 1-0 win over Italy in their second group game on Thursday evening. An own goal from Italy's Riccardo Calafiori helped the Spaniards into the round of 16. Werkself star Alejandro Grimaldo didn't feature in Gelsenkirchen, with Bayer 04 CEO Fernando Carro in the crowd.

Spain face Albania, who drew 2-2 against Croatia on Wednesday, in the final round of group games.

+++ 19.06.: Xhaka and Switzerland pick up important point against Scotland +++

Switzerland, with captain Granit Xhaka in the starting line-up, drew 1-1 with Scotland in their second group match. In an intense encounter, Scotland took the lead on 13 minutes but the Swiss equalised on 26 with a goal scored by Xherdan Shaqiri. Switzerland are second in Group A with four points. The gap to Scotland in third place is three points.

+++ 19.06.: Germany through to Round of 16 with a game to play+++

The Werkself trio of Jonathan Tah, Robert Andrich and Florian Wirtz sealed a slot in the Round of 16 with Germany on Wednesday night. The team led by coach Julian Nagelsmann beat Hungary 2-0 in the second match in Group A to lead the group with six points. Germany are already through to the last 16.

Jamal Musiala opened the scoring against Hungary on 22 minutes with an assist from Ilkay Gündogan and Gündogan went on to score himself to make it 2-0 on 67 minutes. The Leverkusen trio of Tah and Co. started the game. While the central defender played the full 90 minutes, Wirtz was substituted on 58 minutes and Andrich on 72 minutes.  

+++ 19.06.: Stanisic sits out draw against Albania +++

Croatia opened matchday two at Euro 2024 on Wednesday afternoon with a 2-2 draw against Albania. Croatia went behind on 11 minutes but turned the game round with a double whammy on 74 and 76 minutes. They defended their lead almost to the end but conceded five minutes into added time when Albania levelled at 2-2. Joseph Stanisic did not play. Croatia are now bottom of Group B with one point.

+++ 18.06.: Schick and Co. lose to Portugal +++

An unlucky start to the tournament for Czechia including the Werkself trio Patrik Schick, Adam Hlozek and Matej Kovar: Portugal scored in added time to win 2-1 at the end of the first matchday in Euro 2024. Somewhat against the run of play, Lukas Provod scored an outstanding goal for Czechia just after the hour mark but Portugal levelled at 1-1 ten minutes later through an own goal. The match in Leipzig looked to be heading for a draw in the final minutes - but Portugal’s Francisco Conceicao netted the winner at 2-1 two minutes into added time.

Schick started for Czechia but was substituted on 60 minutes while his Leverkusen teammates Hlozek and keeper Kovar did not come on.

+++ 16.06.: Frimpong off the bench as Dutch down Poles +++

The next Werkself star has made his first appearance at EURO 2024 as the Netherlands kicked off their campaign in the challenging Group D against Poland. Jeremie Frimpong started on the bench. The Dutch fell behind in the match, but Cody Gakpo levelled the scores before half-time. Frimpong and Wout Weghorst entered the deadlocked fray in the 81st minute. The Hoffenheim striker scored what proved to be the winner shortly afterwards as Oranje held on for a 2-1  victory.

+++ 15.06.: Stanisic on losing side against Spain +++

A top match to kick off Group B: Two more Werkself players started Euro 2024 on Saturday evening in the game between Spain and Croatia. The Spainiards secured a 3-0 victory over the Croats. Josip Stanisic was in the Croatia starting XI and played the full game while Alejandro Grimaldo did not come on for Spain. The goals in the opening win for La Roja were scored by Grimaldo’s teammates Alvaro Morata, Fabian and Dani Carvajal.  

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+++ 15.06.: Xhaka and Switzerland also off to winning start

There were three points for Granit Xhaka at the start of Euro 2024. Switzerland, with captain and record appearance maker Xhaka in the starting line-up, won their first game in the European Championships with a 3-1 victory over Hungary. Xhaka played the full 90 minutes and was named Man of the Match after the game. The end of the first matchday in Group A sees Switzerland in second spot behind Germany ahead of Hungary in third and bottom-placed Scotland.

+++ 14.06.: Werkself trio start in impressive opening win +++

It was a successful night for Robert Andrich, Jonathan Tah and Florian Wirtz: Germany produced a convincing performance in the 5-1 victory over Scotland in the opening match at the European Championship finals in Germany. The Leverkusen trio of Andrich, Tah and Wirtz were in the starting line-up and it was their first outing in a Euro finals. Wirtz had a great chance a few seconds after the kick-off but his effort was saved by the Scotland keeper Angus Gunn. But, with ten minutes on the clock, the Leverkusen playmaker put the team led by coach Julian Nagelsmann 1-0 up and that was the first goal at Euro 2024 and his first in the European Championships. The 21-year-old is now the youngest goalscorer for Germany in Euro matches.

The other goals were scored by Jamal Musiala (17’), Kai Havertz (45+1’ pen.), Niclas Füllkrug (68’) and Emre Can (90+3’). The Scotland strike was an own goal by Antonio Rüdiger.

Robert Andrich, who was shown a yellow card in the middle of the first half, was substituted at half-time. Wirtz went off on 63 minutes. Jonathan Tah played the full 90 minutes.

EURO 2024 GAMES INVOLVING WERKSELF PLAYERS