"Each and every one of you is a very important part of the club and the success of recent years. Thank you for everything," stressed Xabi Alonso in his farewell words to the club staff on Thursday afternoon. Visibly moved, assistant coach Sebastian Parrilla also added - and in German: "Bayer 04 has become family. I will always carry this club in my heart!"
Argentine Sebastian Parrilla arrived at Leverkusen with Xabi Alonso in the autumn of 2022, after the two had already spent three years together at Real Sociedad San Sebastian B in Spain. Parrilla and Alonso got to know each other in the Real Madrid youth set-up before joining San Sebastian.
Alberto Encinas completed the coaching staff as assistant coach in 2021. The Spaniard joined from Barcelona, where he had previously spent four years as assistant coach of the U19s.
Ismael Camenforte Lopez also moved to under the Bayer cross in 2021. In his first season at Bayer 04, the Spaniard was responsible for training methodology at the Kurtekotten performance centre, before joining the coaching staff of the first team at the start of the 2022/23 season and taking on the role of athletics coach.
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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