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13.07.2021Bayer 04

Fernando Carro moves up to the ECA board

Fernando Carro, CEO of Bayer 04 Leverkusen, has been appointed to the board of the influential European Club Association (ECA). The 56-year-old now represents the interests of the Bundesliga at the European Association level on the ECA board, together with Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke and Bayern Munich Director of Legal Affairs, Dr. Michael Gerlinger – both of whom have been German representatives on this executive board for several years.
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The ECA represents around 230 professional clubs in Europe. The organisation is regularly represented by 24 board members, especially focused on topics relating to the continental football Association UEFA, which acts as the umbrella organisation for all national football associations and as a marketer of European club competitions. In addition to Carro, Dan Friedkin (President, AS Roma) and Oleg Petrov (CEO, AS Monaco) were newly appointed to the ECA Board of Directors.

It became necessary to fill positions on the board after several clubs and their officials represented on the ECA board sought and announced the establishment of a 'Super League' last April – bypassing the bodies of UEFA and ECA. The project failed. At the top of the ECA, Andrea Agnelli, club boss of Juventus, had to resign. With him went six other top officials of the Super League project. And nearly was replaced by Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the Chairman and CEO of the top French club Paris Saint-Germain.

Carro: appointment is both an honour and Motivation 

"European football is facing major challenges, and not only because of the pandemic and its consequences. There will be a lot to accomplish in the next few years," said Fernando Carro, who has been the CEO at Bayer 04 since 2018. "I see this responsibility as both an honour and motivation. And I'm delighted that, as representatives of the Bundesliga, we will be given even greater voice, influence and opportunities for input when it comes to the future of football."

 

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