Six Leverkusen players form the biggest group in the German squad for the two final matches in the U 23 games played in morphia in Spain. In addition to captain Kristin Kögel, Julia Mickenhagen, Selina Ostermeier, Katharina Piljic and Sofie Zdebel are joined for the first time by Loreen Bender. The offensive player missed out on the last outing of the team under coach Kathrin Peter due to injury. She is part of the Werkself sextet for Friday's semi-final against the Netherlands and according to the outcome of that match for the game for third place or the final on Monday against the winners of the match between Italy and Norway. The 19-year-old has made 30 international appearances for teams from the U15s through to the U20s ahead of her debut for the U23s.
Ruby Grant is in action with the same age group at the end of the international break. The midfielder, who joined Leverkusen in the winter break, is set to play for the England U23s against Spain on Thursday and then against Belgium or Sweden on Sunday.
For two other Bayer 04 Women there is a mini tournament in Poland to qualify for the U19 Euros. Delice Boboy and Estrella Merino Gonzalez with the Germany team play Israel on Wednesday and then Finland on Saturday before a final game against the hosts Poland. The first Euro qualifying round saw the U19s comfortably finish top of the group now the team led by coach Michael Urbansky must win their seventh mini tournament to ensure a place in the finals from 15 to 27 June. If the already qualified Poland finished top then the best second placed side of all the mini tournaments take their place.
Matchdays three and four in the UEFA Women's Nation's League are coming up. Striker Cornelia Kramer with Denmark is away to Wales on Friday and at home to Italy on Tuesday. Midfielder Karolina Lea Vilhjalmsdottir is with Iceland on the same days in front of the home crowd twice: first against Norway then against Switzerland.
International call-ups:
Cornelia Kramer (Denmark)
Friday, 04.04.: Wales vs Denmark (UEFA Women’s Nations League)
Tuesday, 08.04.: Denmark vs Italy (UEFA Women’s Nations League)
Karolina Lea Vilhjalmsdottir (Island)
Friday, 04.04.: Iceland vs Norway (UEFA Women’s Nations League)
Tuesday, 08.04.: Iceland vs Switzerland (UEFA Women’s Nations League)
Loreen Bender, Kristin Kögel, Julia Mickenhagen, Selina Ostermeier, Katharina Piljic, Sofie Zdebel (Germany U23)
Friday, 04.04.: Germany vs Netherlands (International round, semi-finals)
Monday, 07.04.: Germany vs Italy/Norway (International round, third place play-off/final)
Ruby Grant (England U23)
Thursday, 03.04.: England vs Spain (International round)
Sunday, 06.04.: England vs Belgium/Sweden (International round)
Delice Boboy, Estrella Merino Gonzalez (Germany U19)
Wednesday, 02.04.: Germany vs Israel (Euro qualifier)
Saturday, 05.04.: Germany vs Finland (Euro qualifier)
Tuesday, 08.04.: Poland vs Germany (Euro qualifier)
Two keepers, lots of questions: Werkself captain Lukas Hradecky and U19 goalkeeper Jesper Schlich visited the BarmeniaGothaer children’s press conference in partnership with the Bayer 04 Lions Club on Wednesday afternoon. The duo faced interesting and at times unusual questions from around 50 inquisitive young journalists in the press conference room at the BayArena.
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After returning from Hamburg and a day off on Easter Monday, the Werkself players were back on the training ground at the BayArena on Tuesday morning. Following the session, Amine Adli was very positive in a media interview about the remaining four matches including the forthcoming home game against FC Augsburg (Saturday, 26 April, 15:30 CEST): "We will give our all to end the season as well as we can!"
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Bayer 04 are now unbeaten in the last 32 Bundesliga away games (the second longest run in the history of the Bundesliga) but players and coaches were self-critical after the 1-1 draw at FC St. Pauli. "Our performances aren’t good enough," said goalscorer Patrik Schick after the game. The Werkself review of the Sunday night match at the Millerntor.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 1-1 draw at FC St. Pauli on the 30th matchday of the Bundesliga 2024/25...
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