Bayer 04 representatives at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris were Fernando Carro, CEO, and sporting managing director Simon Rolfes.
Carro: "It's exceptional recognition for the club to be nominated in three categories of the Ballon d'Or. We are very proud of what we've achieved and are happy that Bayer 04 Leverkusen was able to be an important part of this significant event tonight.”
Rolfes: "The historic season in 2023/24 once again provides a big stage for Bayer 04 at the award of this year's Ballon d'Or. Our players Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka and Alejandro Grimaldo, our coach Xabi Alonso and also the whole performance over the season of Bayer 04 Leverkusen are recognised by the nominations. That makes us proud and gives us a boost."
Bayer 04 were nominated in the Men's Club of the Year category alongside Borussia Dortmund, Girona, Manchester City and Real Madrid. Real Madrid won the award.
Head coach Xabi Alonso was in the Men's Team Coach category that was awarded the first time this year. Also nominated were Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid), Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Lionel Scaloni (Argentina) and Luis de la Fuente (Spain). Carlo Ancelotti won the category.
Alejandro Grimaldo (28th place), Granit Xhaka (16th place) and Florian Wirtz (12th place) were the three members of the Werkself squad nominated among the 30 players in the Men's Ballon d'Or category. Manchester City midfielder Rodri was the winner on the night.
About the Ballon d’Or:
The Ballon d'Or (in English: ‘Golden ball’“) has been presented by the French football journal France Football since 1956 to the best football players for the individual calendar year. Since 2022, the Ballon d'Or has not only been presented by France Football but also by the European governing body UEFA. Originally designed only for European players from European clubs, the award was opened up to all players in Europe from 1995. Since then the winner has also been named European Footballer of the Year.
Job done: the Bayer 04 eSports team defeated SV Darmstadt 98 in the play-offs to secure their consecutive participation in the VBL Club Championship final. The journey continues now for Leverkusen on Saturday 7 March (from 17:00 CET) with a last-16 encounter at Hamburger SV.
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Werkself TV shows highlights of the 0-0 draw against Olympiacos in the second leg of the play-offs of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 league...
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A disciplined defensive performance in the second leg saw Bayer 04 prevail against Olympiacos in the play-offs of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26. Thanks to the 2-0 away win in the first leg, the goalless draw at home at the BayArena was enough to ensure progress to the next round. The Black and Reds kept their opponents away from their goal for the best part of 90 minutes.
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Bayer 04 can go through to the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League for the ninth time tonight, 24 February (kick-off: 21:00 CET) and be in the top 16 clubs in Europe. A good omen: Leverkusen have progressed to the next round after winning the first leg in 20 of their 22 knockout rounds in European competitions to date. For their part, Greek record champions Olympiacos rested several players for last weekend’s league fixture ahead of the play-off second leg at the BayArena and will now do everything in their power to turn the tide with their usual aggressive and high pressing. The discussions on Werkself radio are likely to be just as intense as the battle on the pitch, with commentator Florian Bechholz welcoming honorary captain Stefan Kießling and goalkeeper Mark Flekken. Today’s matchday news.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen will play Offenbacher Kickers: As part of the 125th anniversary celebrations of the regional football league club, the Werkself will play a friendly at the Hessen club in the summer. On Saturday, 25 July 2026 (kick-off: 15:00 CEST.), coach Kasper Hjulmand's team will face OFC at Offenbach's Bieberer Berg stadium. The supporters of both clubs have maintained a close fan friendship for many years. This makes the match in preparation for the 2026/27 season a very special one, and not just for Offenbach fans.
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