"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.
Bayer 04 are through to the second round of the DFB Pokal after a 4-0 win at Sonnenhof Großaspach on Friday night. The game was paused after only 18 minutes due to a storm over the ground. After a lengthy delay, play resumed and Patrik Schick opened the scoring. Arthur, Christian Kofane and Alejandro Grimaldo made things more comfortable in the second half, as the fourth-tier side had two players sent off.
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There were no goals across 115 minutes of football between Bayer 04 Women and PSV Eindhoven in Friday’s friendly. Roberto Pätzold’s team played two 45-minute periods before an extra 25 minutes two days prior to heading to Rieden for their training camp. Their Dutch opponents were preparing for their UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifier in 12 days.
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The first round of the DFB Pokal takes Bayer 04 to Sonnenhof Großaspach on Friday. The amateur club have just gained promotion to the fourth-tier Regionalliga Südwest and kicked off their campaign with two impressive wins. Here’s all you need to know as Erik ten Hag makes his competitive bow as Werkself boss at the WIRmachenDRUCK Arena (kick-off: 6pm CEST).
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After two months preparing for the new season, the Werkself play the first game of the 2025/26 campaign on Friday, 15 August (kick-off: 18:00 CEST) away to SG Sonnenhof Großaspach in the first round of the DFB Pokal. Ahead of the tie against the team newly promoted to the Regional League South West, head coach Erik ten Hag talked about his approach to the knockout game and his soft spot for cup competitions.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen has a new Premium Partner in its ranks in Düsseldorf company LumenHaus GmbH. The leading provider of networked home energy solutions has initially agreed a one-year partnership with the Bundesliga runners-up to the end of the 2025/26 season.
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