"Mario Hermoso is an experienced player on the international stage and, in addition to playing as a central defender, he is a very capable and organised left back," said Bayer 04 sporting managing director Simon Rolfes in describing the 1.84 metre tall defender. "Mario will also bring additional versatility to our defence and will compensate very well for the absence of Jeanuel Belocian."
Hermoso knows Bayer 04 well having played the Werkself twice in Champions League games in 2022/23. "They were two highly emotional games with neither side giving anything away exactly like it was in Madrid a week or so ago," said Hermoso, who has made five international appearances for Spain. "I'm very much looking forward to aiming to achieve big targets with the Werkself. Everything is set up here for a successful season on the pitch."
The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
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When Exequiel Palacios moved from the Argentinian club River Plate to Bayer Leverkusen on 1 January 2020, the then 21-year-old could not have imagined just how successful the next six and a half years would be for him. Pala, as he is known, had already won the Copa Libertadores – the most prestigious competition in South American club football – with River Plate. But there were still so many more trophies to come.
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To mark Exequiel Palacios’s departure, we’ve put together a compilation of the midfielder’s finest and most important goals from his six-and-a-half years at the club.
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