Jonas Hofmann on...
...his decision to join Bayer 04: After the time with the national team in the summer, I felt I wanted to start a new chapter. It's an honour when a club like Leverkusen gets in contact. I had a brilliant time at Mönchengladbach and I developed there as a player and a person. It was never a decision against Gladbach but always a decision for me and my future. I can't wait to start the new chapter, I believe in the development of this club and that the success of last season will continue.
...his impression of the Bayer 04 management: The talks with Simon Rolfes and Xabi Alonso impressed me. Simon with his experience and his expertise as a former international and Xabi as an internationally recognised personality in sport. I loved watching him play football. When you talk to him about football now and he explains how he wants to play the game, what approach he has and where he sees you as a player then it is something special and very instructive. He gave me the feeling I can help the team with my qualities. After the talks, I realised it was the right step for me.
…the first training sessions under the Bayer Cross with international teammate Florian Wirtz: Flo is a really special talent. He's only 20 years old but again and again has impressively demonstrated his qualities in recent years. I'm very much looking forward to playing alongside him at club level. His ability and vision are impressive. I'm sure we'll complement each other on the pitch.
...his targets with the Werkself in the coming season: I want to be a full part of the team. The experience, not just from me but also that the other experienced new signings bring, will help us take the young players with us. Everybody wants the team to be successful and to contribute to that development. I've been struck in the first sessions by the extremely positive energy from everybody.
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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