The reason for Bayer 04 qualifying for the Europa League – instead of the play-offs in the Conference League – is the following rule: The team finishing sixth in the Bundesliga enters the group stage of the Europa League providing the DFB Cup winner has already qualified for Europe via the league route. That is the case here as RB Leipzig finished third in the Bundesliga and therefore qualified for the Champions League.
Who the Werkself will face in the group stage of the Europa League will be decided at the draw on 1 September. Bayer 04 are in pot one. Also in pot one, and thereby excluded as immediate potential opponents, are the winners of this year’s Conference League (Fiorentina or West Ham United) plus Liverpool and Villareal. Another impossible pairing is against the second German team in the competition, SC Freiburg, who are in a different pot.
The date for the opening match in the group stage is already confirmed: The first fixture is on Thursday 21 September. The last game in the group is set for 14 December. The knockout stage begins in the New Year with the first leg of the play-offs on 15 February 2024. The final will be played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on 22 May 2024.
Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and Bayer 04 loanee Francis Onyeka are part of Germany's final squad for the U19 European Championships this summer. The tournament is in Wales from 24 June to 12 July.
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Carles Martìnez is raring to go. The 42-year-old speaks in his first interview in Leverkusen about the club's development to date and how he wants to build on it. He describes his previous work in France, Kuwait, Qatar and his native Barcelona, his experience in developing young players, and the key steps between now and the start of pre-season training.
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New Bayer 04 head coach Carles Martínez has arrived in Leverkusen! At midday on Friday, the 42-year-old spoke in a press conference at the BayArena about his philosophy and his aims. Managing director sport Simon Rolfes also discussed the reasons for appointing the former Toulouse boss.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
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