"Gerardo Seoane has done good work for Bayer 04 over the past one and a half years, above all with the outstanding qualification for the Champions League," said sporting managing director Simon Rolfes. "Unfortunately, we have left the path of success. The early exit from the DFB Cup but in particular the current position in the Bundesliga, which does not meet our expectations, has compelled us to change coaches," explained Rolfes the day after 2-0 defeat for the Werkself in the Champions League at Portuguese champions Porto. Seoane's assistant coach Patrick Schnarwiler is also leaving Bayer 04.
Fernando Carro, as the Bayer 04 CEO, emphasised the complexity of the decision: "Gerardo Seoane has enjoyed very high appreciation throughout the club both as a coach and as a person. It was not easy to part company. But we see no other possibility in the current situation.”
Xabi Alonso is the new head coach at Bayer 04. The Spain international with 114 caps won the UEFA Champions League as a player with Liverpool in 2005 and with Real Madrid in 2014 and he also won the German league title three times as a driving force with Bayern Munich from 2015 to 2017. The former midfielder won the European Championships with Spain in 2008 and 2012 and the World Cup in 2010. Alonso will have his assistant coach Sebastian Parrilla alongside him at Bayer 04.
"In Xabi Alonso we have brought in a coach who was an absolute world-class player for many years, an intelligent strategist and extremely successful at three of the most demanding European leagues," said Rolfes on the signing of the former top star. Alonso has been working as a coach with the second team of the top-flight Spanish club Real Sociedad for the last three years and before that he worked with the youth teams at Real Madrid.
"I know Leverkusen as an outstanding club from my time in Germany. Bayer 04 always had great players and I see a lot of quality in the current squad," said Alonso. "In my discussions with the club it quickly became clear that ambitious targets are still the aim in spite of the current difficult situation. This job really attracts me and I'm sure we can live up to expectations."
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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When Malik Tillman arrived at Bayer 04 Leverkusen from PSV Eindhoven last summer, he did more than just add attacking midfield strength to the team — he reconnected the club with a unique and understated American lineage that stretches back more than three decades.
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Bayer 04 are away to third-division club SV Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal. That was the outcome of the draw on Saturday night, 6 June, at the German Football Museum in Dortmund. The Werkself first round tie will be played between 21 and 24 August. The exact date has yet to be finalised.
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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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Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
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