Therefore, Bayer 04, who have often spoken out in the past for a responsible but also optimistic approach to opening stadiums, has now released a statement by the managing directors Fernando Carro (chairman) and Rudi Völler (sporting):
"Bayer 04 Leverkusen sharply criticise the hesitant and inconsistent position of German politicians in relation to dealing with the issue of spectators in professional sport. According to the changing circumstances, we expect suitable treatment of sport and professional football in particular, which unfortunately have recently fallen victim to an unrealistic symbolic politics.
We remain great advocates – and also pioneers – of level-headed handling of the effects of the pandemic. However, it is now time to take responsible steps back to normality.
Other big leagues in Europe are showing how that can work. England now has almost no restrictions, stadiums in Spain are 75% open with an incidence rate of over 3,000, France will allow full capacity crowds from next week and Serie A will go up to 50% capacity at the start of February.
There is no verified evidence that even one match in the Bundesliga or Bundesliga 2 has been the source of significantly increased infection rates – also neither the venue nor the approaches to the stadium. Other cultural events in Germany are taking place at almost full capacity and mostly in enclosed spaces. A completely disproportionate state of affairs.
The voices of our fans get louder and louder, the urgent need for perspective and openness is clear and is not only seen in that way by the clubs affected. We therefore call on the North Rhine-Westphalia government to ensure appropriate and reliable conditions for fans in stadiums and to implement that as soon as possible. In the same way that it has already been set in motion by other federal states – and in the best case scenario in a unified manner across the whole country."
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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