"We are happy to go into the new season with these two top people," said Simon Rolfes, currently sporting director and from 1 July sporting managing director at Bayer 04. "We want to keep on improving in all areas and work at the highest level. That also obviously includes the area of fitness, which is of crucial importance in professional football."
Ismael Camenforte Lopez joined Leverkusen in the summer of 2021. After studying at the University of Barcelona the 38-year-old Spaniard worked as fitness coach at FC Barcelona for seven years plus 18 months at the MLS club New York City FC. The Catalan returned to Europe from the USA in August 2020 to work as a fitness coach with Denmark.
Markus Müller has joined Leverkusen from Borussia Mönchengladbach. The 36-year-old worked as a fitness coach with the Foals for six years. Müller, who completed his bachelor degree at the German Sports University in Cologne, previously worked in a similar position at the Borussia Dortmund academy for two years.
The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
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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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