Bayer 04 flags, balloons in black, red and gold and a big LED screen with images of the Werkself players: What a welcome. All the players, head coach Xabi Alonso and the club management members Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes were called onto the stage individually and then introduced with the listing of their previous sporting achievements. The Bayer AG members of staff, all wearing Bayer 04 shirts, greeted the visitors from Leverkusen with loud applause.
Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO, spoke on stage to the employees at the Bayer site: "We are happy to be guests in a football crazy city like St. Louis. We also congratulate you for the club from this city playing in the MLS next year. Our club Bayer 04 belongs to Bayer AG, you work for Bayer – to that extent it's a perfect match." In response to the question of who would come to the match at the newly built CITYPARK Stadium, everybody raised their hands. Carro: “We look forward to welcoming you to the game on Wednesday."
Fernando Carro presented a gift to Jackie Applegate, CEO Crop Science North America: a shirt made up in two halves of the white jersey of St. Louis CITY SC and the red home shirt of Bayer 04.
Jackie Applegate: "It's a great day for Bayer Crop Science North America. We are happy to welcome Bayer 04 here to us in St Louis. Bayer AG has succeeded in connecting our heartland to Germany. We can't wait for the match on Wednesday." For Applegate it will not be the first Werkself match she has seen live: The Bayer manager, who worked in Germany for Bayer AG for three years, has been a member of the Bayer 04 fan club 'Alte Hasen' since 1998.
At the end of the event, the employees had plenty of time to get autographs and take selfies with the players, coaches and management.
A round-up of the Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land, all in one place: in our daily blog you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day four (Wednesday 5 August) is all about training. The day begins with a gruelling open training session – new signing Miguel Gutiérrez also takes part. A second session follows in the afternoon, this time behind closed doors.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed Spanish left-back Miguel Gutiérrez from Napoli. The 25-year-old has signed a contract with the club to 30 June 2031. Gutiérrez came through the youth ranks at Real Madrid; he moved to Italy a year ago from Girona, and he played a key role for Napoli with 36 appearances. The big Italian club finished last season as runners-up in Serie A.
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New signing Miguel Gutiérrez arrives in Leverkusen having won the Champions League, the Spanish league title and an Olympic gold medal. However, the 25-year-old Spaniard, signed from Napoli, is looking to the future – he wants to write the next chapter of success with the Werkself. Bayer04.de takes a closer look at the skilful, attack-minded left-back, who will wear the number 3 jersey.
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The Werkself's training camp in Weimarer Land all in one place: in our daily blog you'll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day three (Tuesday 4 August) begins with a thorough open session on the pitch. After lunch, some players have media engagements at the team hotel, and then the team come together for a barbecue in the evening.
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