Back
18.03.2024Bayer 04

Bayer 04 pays tribute to departing Christian Streich

After 29 years as a coach at Freiburg, 12 of them in charge of the first team, Christian Streich is leaving the club at the end of this season, as he announced on Monday. “This club is my life and I’m grateful for the great support and affection I’ve enjoyed here. Now is the right time to give space for new energy, new people and new possibilities,” the 58-year-old said. Streich has also been held in high esteem at Bayer 04 for many years. Officials in Leverkusen have given their reaction to Streich’s departure.
imago1036502020h.jpg

Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO: “Continuity at a high level is a success factor in football. Christian Streich and his work for Freiburg are an excellent example of this. It's a shame that he's leaving. But after all those gruelling years in the football business, it's also a step that you have to understand, and that deserves respect.”

Xabi Alonso, Bayer 04 head coach: “Twenty-nine years at one club is an incredibly long time. I'm grateful to have met Christian Streich in a few games. Each of these encounters was characterised by enormous mutual respect. The fact that he has now decided to retire after the season is a great pity, but at the same time absolutely understandable in this demanding job. I wish Christian all the best for the future and for his time with his family.”

Thomas Eichin, director of professional teams at Bayer 04: “As a native of Freiburg, I have known Christian Streich for a very long time and we used to play together in the same team. For me, he has always been an extraordinary and sincere person full of empathy who consistently exemplifies his values. This remarkable greatness is also evident in his departure after such a long and successful career in Freiburg.”

Xabi Alonso und Christian Streich

29 years as a coach at Freiburg

Streich played for Freiburg in the 1987/88 season. He re-joined in 1995 as a youth coach, leading the U19s to the Bundesliga title in 2008. He also worked as assistant to the first team from summer 2007 before joining the senior squad full time for the 2011/12 campaign. Streich was then appointed head coach midway through the season, since which the 58-year-old has taken charge of 711 competitive fixtures. He led Freiburg to promotion as Bundesliga 2 champions in 2016, to the DFB Cup final in 2022, and earned European qualification four times.

Related News

Olympiacos downed: Werkself celebrate after Schick brace in play-off first leg | Play-offs UCL
Werkself-TV - 18.02.2026

TV highlights of the 2-0 win at Olympiacos

Werkself TV shows highlights of the 2-0 win at Olympiacos in the first leg of the play-offs of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 league...

Show more
OLYB04
Champions League - 18.02.2026

Olympiacos downed: Werkself celebrate after Schick brace in play-off first leg

The Werkself beat Olympiacos 2-0 in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League play-off first leg to claim a crucial victory in the Greek capital. After a focused first-half display with a number of presentable chances, Patrik Schick crowned a textbook counter to hand the Werkself the lead on the hour (60’). The Czech rounded off his brace when he headed in from a corner just 144 seconds later. Bayer 04 maintained their lead with aplomb to achieve a good position for the return leg in Leverkusen.

Show more
Kurzpässe vor #OLYB04 Play-offs
Champions League - 18.02.2026

Matchday news #OLYB04: ‘Seize the chance for revenge’

Bayer 04 and Olympiacos had only met twice before the current UEFA Champions campaign. After the encounter on Matchday 7 of this season’s league phase, the Werkself travel to face the Greek side for the second time in just four weeks for the knockout play-off first leg. The Black and Reds were dominant for large spells in mid-January but lost 2-0 after missing a number of presentable chances. The Werkself aim to do better on Wednesday night to “seize the chance for revenge,” as managing director sport Simon Rolfes put it. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game in our matchday news.

Show more
Marc Landwehr
eSports - 18.02.2026

#B04eSports: Bayer 04 miss out on offline round and top eight

A bitter end to the fifth showdown of the 2025/26 VBL Club Championship as the #B04eSports team failed to take any points in the three remaining matches of the preliminary online round of the fifth and final showdown, missing out on the offline round. They can no longer take points in the overall table. Bayer 04 slipped out on the top eight, so direct participation in the final event for the German Club Championship is no longer possible, with Bayer 04 having to contest the play-offs.

Show more