Werner Wenning, Chairman of the Shareholders' Committee at Bayer 04, said: "Firstly, we would like to thank Kasper Hjulmand for his work and commitment last season. By reaching the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal and the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League, important milestones were set, even if the sporting goals could not be fully achieved. We personally wish him all the best for the future. At the same time, we are delighted to have gained an ambitious and modern coach for Bayer 04 in Carles Martínez."
Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO, said: "As Bayer 04, we have developed strongly both domestically and in Europe over recent years. Our goal remains to be competitive at the highest level and to further consolidate our position among the leading clubs in Europe. We are convinced that Carles Martínez, with his impressive profile as a coach, fits in very well with this ambition. He embodies a modern type of coach who can develop our highly talented team, raise it to a consistently high level and lead it to tangible success."
Simon Rolfes, Managing Director Sport at Bayer 04, said: "We have worked intensively on which coach is best suited for the next phase of Bayer 04's development. Carles Martínez has successfully developed numerous young players at Toulouse and moulded an international team into a strong unit. In addition to this valuable experience, he brings a high level of expertise from his time at the Barcelona youth academy to Leverkusen. Carles is a coach with clear principles and a modern approach to the game. We are convinced he can provide the right impetus for our sporting future."
Carles Martínez will be officially presented at a press conference on Friday, 5 June at 12:00 CEST at the BayArena in Leverkusen.
Profile: Bayer 04 head coach Carles Martínez Novell
