Members meeting with Fernando Carro: ‘We do everything for our fans'

The open and lively round of questions was slowly drawing to a close when Fernando Carro shed a tear. After 30 minutes covering a range of topics, one of the members present said thank you for the double winning season ("You laid down the foundations for the double with your work and we will be eternally grateful to you for that") and asked how Carro remembers the moments after the final whistle at the crucial home game against Werder Bremen. The CEO, normally never lost for words, lost his voice for a moment and was met with supportive and loud applause from the members: "I will never forget those moments."

Strategic squad development

Before that it was no surprise that the current personnel situation at the Werkself was discussed. At the start, Carro was asked about the recent, positive news of Patrik Schick extending his contract. His answer: "We are very happy to have agreed the extension with him despite other options for Patrik. He's a very important player for us."

Carro also said with regard to more work on the squad for the new season: "Of course, we have let good players go. But that happened in the past and despite that we were very successful. We want to build the next team of champions and we are being strategic by bringing in highly talented players capable of development early on in their careers."

Carro: "i like being the boss"

The members were also interested in what makes Fernando Carro tick away from work. And there were some interesting insights. For example, the most important decision of his life. The clear response: "Marrying my wife."

Another subject was the change for the 61-year-old from working as CEO at Bertelsmann AG with over 70,000 employees to being the CEO at the Bundesliga club Bayer 04. Carro: "I have significantly more fun in my present career. There are some things that remain the same such as developing a strategy, working as part of the team, making decisions and leading people – which I very much enjoy as I like being the boss. (He laughs). And then there are clear differences such as the significance of public relations, the extreme short-term nature of it and the fans. In addition, we only have an indirect influence on success on the pitch as the management. Our job is about increasing the probability of sporting success."

Carro also shared insights into his way of managing staff: "I look for and always choose strengths and I don't try to improve any possible weakness. I want to use the strengths of different employees and combine them both on and off the pitch." In general it is important to be conscientious in a management function. Carro added: "I don't go for a devil-may-care approach. That's not how I am and I will never be like that. At the end of the day, we do everything here above all to make our fans happy. And that has to happen in a sustained manner. I will also be happy if we succeed in doing that."

"the story here will CARRY ON"

Why did the Spaniard not give up at the high point of the double in 2024 when Bayer 04 fans were happier than ever before? "A lot of friends advised me to do that. But that's not my way. I'm really looking forward to the new season, of course, above all to the Champions League. We continue to plan on growth and development at different levels and I look to the future with great positivity and optimism. The story here will carry on."