LEVERKUSEN NEWS

Moussa Diaby - Scores goal Diaby scored one goal during a 2-2 draw against VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday.

Impact Despite not scoring one penalty kick (which was not on goal) given to him minutes earlier yet after forcing a Micky van de Ven handball, Diaby redeemed himself and logged his second goal across Bayer Leverkusen's last three Bundesliga games played.

OCTOBER 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Jeremie Frimpong - Goal as midfielder Frimpong scored one goal during a 2-2 draw against VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday.

Impact Frimpong scored using an accurate through-ball that went past VfL Wolfsburg goalkeeper and to the Englishman instead. He continues excelling as a midfielder. Across the last seven games during which Frimpong played that position, he has five goals logged.

OCTOBER 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Lukas Hradecky - Allows two goals Hradecky conceded two goals during a 2-2 draw against VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday.

Impact Hradecky allowed multiple goals without logging any saves. He will try to redeem himself during Bayer Leverkusen's next game, currently scheduled Wednesday against Atletico Madrid.

OCTOBER 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Piero Hincapie - Available against Leipzig Hincapie is available for a Saturday trip to Leipzig after serving his suspension.

Impact Hincapie was suspended for a clash with Wolfsburg, but is available once more for a Saturday trip to Leipzig. The defender should also be fully rested for a Wednesday trip to Madrid against Atleti in the Champions League. Hincapie has started all but two matches while healthy and available.

OCTOBER 24, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Florian Wirtz - Training partially with team Wirtz returned to partial team training with Leverkusen on Monday.

Impact Wirtz has been sidelined for the last seven months since tearing his ACL in March, but he continues making progress towards his return as he's now able to train with his teammates in some fashion. There is still a chance he can get fit in time to make it to the World Cup with Germany.

OCTOBER 24, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Iran preps for World Cup with unrest at home

Women’s rights are back in focus as Iran’s national soccer team prepares for the World Cup

OCTOBER 24, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

No face masks: Wolfsburg slams its 'disrespectful' players

Bundesliga club Wolfsburg has apologized and sharply criticized its own players for failing to wear mandatory face masks against the coronavirus on the train to their league game a...

OCTOBER 22, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Patrik Schick - Out Saturday Schick isn't available Saturday against Wolfsburg due to injury.

Impact Schick hasn't scored in seven straight appearances and now something has put him on the sidelines. Usually a guaranteed start, he'll hope to return by Wednesday's UCL match against Atletico Madrid while Jeremie Frimpong helps to fill the gap in the lineup.

OCTOBER 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Callum Hudson-Odoi - On bench Saturday Hudson-Odoi (knee) made the bench for Saturday's match against Wolfsburg.

Impact Hudson-Odoi is back after missing one game with a knee issue. While not starting for the first time in over a month, he's still available in reserve.

OCTOBER 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Charles Aranguiz - Out due to injury Aranguiz isn't available in Saturday's match against Wolfsburg due to injury.

Impact Aranguiz only played until halftime in Saturday's loss to Eintracht Frankfurt and is now out altogether. Following four straight starts, Aranguiz will hope to return by Wednesday's UCL match against Atletico Madrid.

OCTOBER 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Exequiel Palacios - Still out due to injury Palacios (thigh) remains out for Saturday's match against Wolfsburg.

Impact Palacios hasn't played in seven straight games and it's uncertain when he might return. More recently, Charles Aranguiz and Robert Andrich have started as the partnership in central-midfield, with Kerem Demirbay and Moussa Diaby rounding out the possible options depending on the formation.

OCTOBER 21, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Schalke fires coach Kramer after run of heavy defeats

Schalke has fired coach Frank Kramer after a run of losses which left the club in the Bundesliga relegation zone

OCTOBER 19, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Florian Wirtz - Set for training return Wirtz (knee) is set to return to team training within a week, Leverkusen announced.

Impact Wirtz was always going to be eager to get back as soon as possible with a World Cup looming and Germany among the tournament favorites. This return is well ahead of schedule, but the midfielder has faced no set backs according to the team, and is continuing to thrive in recovery. Wirtz would be a major addition to a Leverkusen team shockingly sitting in the relegation zone early in the campaign.

OCTOBER 18, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Karim Bellarabi - Nearing return Bellarabi (meniscus) is nearing a return, according to Phillip Arens of bild.de.

Impact Bellarabi is nearing a return, after making some small strides in training individually. The midfielder was expected to miss six-to-eight weeks with the meniscus tear, and has now missed closer to 10 weeks. It appears Leverkusen are being careful with Bellarabi, though he's quickly running out of chances to return before the Winter break.

OCTOBER 17, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Sardar Azmoun - Suffers calf tear Azmoun (calf) picked up a calf tear in warm ups against Porto, and will be out six-to-eight weeks, Leverkusen announced.

Impact Azmoun will be out for at least a month and a half, most likely knocking him out until after the world cup break. The forward has been a consistent contributor off the bench but hasn't been one to break into the starting XI, lining up as a rotational option at best.

OCTOBER 17, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Frankfurt routs Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen 5-1 in Bundesliga

Xabi Alonso has endured another frustrating game as Bayer Leverkusen coach as his team slumped to a 5-1 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga

OCTOBER 15, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Lukas Hradecky - Destroyed by Frankfurt Hradecky allowed five goals while making five saves during Saturday's 5-1 loss to Frankfurt.

Impact Hradecky allowed a goal in the first half and four in the second as Leverkusen dropped all three points on Saturday. The keeper has now allowed 19 goals in nine league starts while his five saves upped his season total to 29.

OCTOBER 15, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Kerem Demirbay - Assists as substitute Demirbay had an assist while crossing once accurately and creating a chance during Saturday's 5-1 loss to Frankfurt.

Impact Demirbay entered the match at halftime and set up Piero Hincapie in the 56th minute for Leverkusen's lone goal. The assist was the first of the season for the midfielder, coming from a free kick delivery which is something Demirbay is capable of providing.

OCTOBER 15, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Piero Hincapie - Sent off Saturday Hincapie scored a goal and was sent off in the second half of Saturday's match against Frankfurt.

Impact Hincapie scored in the 56th minute but was shown his second yellow card of the match in the 71st minute, forcing Leverkusen down to ten men. The defender will miss next week's match against Wolfsburg through suspension.

OCTOBER 15, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Callum Hudson-Odoi - Out against Frankfurt Hudson-Odoi is not in the match day squad to face Frankfurt on Saturday due to a knee injury.

Impact Hudson-Odoi will miss Saturday's match after picking up the injury in mid week action against Porto. The attacker has five appearances on the season providing one league assist.

OCTOBER 15, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Moussa Diaby - Starting against Frankfurt Diaby is fit and in the starting XI for Saturday's match against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Impact Diaby has recovered in time to start after limping off against Porto in mid week. The attacker starred for Leverkusen last time out scoring his first goal and providing two assists.

OCTOBER 15, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

MATCHDAY: EPL strugglers try to get out of trouble

It is a big day at the foot of the English Premier League with relegation strugglers Wolverhampton and Nottingham Forest meeting at Molineux

OCTOBER 14, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Lukas Hradecky - Beaten three times against Porto Hradecky made zero saves and conceded three goals during Wednesday's 3-0 Champions League loss against Porto.

Impact Hradecky couldn't do much to stop Galeno's shot from inside the box in the 6th minute and then was beaten twice from the penalty spot after halftime. The biggest issue is that the opposition didn't have any other shot on target during the entire match so the goalkeeper couldn't offset these three goals allowed. This has been a campaign with lots of ups and downs for Hradecky and he'll try to bounce back during Saturday's league visit to Eintracht Frankfurt.

OCTOBER 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Mitchel Bakker - Draws PK against Porto Bakker had one shot on goal, created three chances, sent in four crosses (one accurate), made four tackles (two won), drew two fouls, including a penalty and was shown a yellow car...

Impact Bakker had by far his best UCL performance this season, being very active on both side of the pitch and even suffering the penalty that was missed by Kerem Demirbay when his side was still losing by one goal in the 16th minute. After struggling to find regular playing time, Bakker has started three of the last four matches in all competitions and looks like the first choice at left-back under the new head coach.

OCTOBER 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Kerem Demirbay - Misses PK versus Porto Demirbay had two shots (one on target), sent in 10 crosses (three accurate), drew three fouls and missed a penalty during Wednesday's 3-0 UCL loss against Porto.

Impact Demirbay was back in the starting XI after coming off the bench on the previous two contests in all competitions. The midfielder had a good performance overall but unfortunately for him his biggest highlight was the missed penalty kick when his side was still down by just one goal in the 16th minute. When given playing time, Demirbay is usually a good source of offensive numbers and his role in set pieces gives him a huge boost. But this was his first start under new head coach Xabi Alonso so his status is still unclear for the upcoming games.

OCTOBER 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE