All three received an official farewell at the last home game of the season against Schalke 04. The two managing directors Fernando Carro and Rudi Völler thanked the trio for their commitment to Bayer 04.
Jonas Boldt worked for the Werkself for a total of 15 years. It began in 2003 with a placement; in 2007 the man from Nuremberg joined the scouting department. As a scout, head scout, sporting manager and finally sporting director – the 37-year-old has played a significant part in all the transfers in recent years thus making a contribution to the success of the Werkself. At the end of November last year, Jonas Boldt decided to leave his post as sporting director and the club at the end of the season.
While Boldt leaves Bayer 04 after a long stay, Isaac Kiese Thelin and Thorsten Kirschbaum only moved to Leverkusen in the summer of 2018. Kiese Thelin joined the Werkself from Anderlecht on a season-long loan. Last term the Sweden striker made 14 appearances in all competitions and scored one goal.
Goalkeeper Thorsten Kirschbaum also leaves the club after one season. The 32-year-old was the third choice shot-stopper in this campaign behind Lukas Hradecky and Ramazan Özcan. In the middle of December the number 24 made his competitive debut for the Black and Reds in the 5-1 win at AEK Larnaca in the Europa League – it was also Kirschbaum’s first game in a European cup competition.
The Black and Reds kick off the new Bundesliga campaign today, Saturday 29 August (kick-off 15:30 CEST), away to newly promoted SV 07 Elversberg – and the Werkself will come up against a familiar face who is currently causing a stir at ‘Elv’. For an affordable and easy journey to the Saarland, the 1,600 travelling fans can still use the WERKSELFgo car-share platform. Today’s matchday news..
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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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The Bundesliga is back. On Saturday 29 August (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself are away to SV 07 Elversberg on matchday 1 of the new season. Ahead of the clash at the URSAPHARM Arena on Kaiserlinde, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about the importance of a successful start and the motivation of the league newcomers from the Saarland.
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On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
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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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