Back
9.05.2025Bayer 04

Rolfes: ‘We will have a top coach and a top team next season'

Shortly after head coach Xabi Alonso announced he was leaving Bayer 04 at the end of the season at the pre-match press conference ahead of the home game against Borussia Dortmund (Sunday, 11 May, 15:30 CEST), sporting managing director Simon Rolfes shared his views of the decision in a media conference and talked about the successor to Alonso as well as squad planning.
Simon Rolfes

Simon Rolfes on…

…his emotions after the announcement of Xabi Alonso leaving at the end of the season: "Farewells are always emotional. Of course, you start thinking about looking back at the time together and the memory of great moments with the league title win and the DFB Pokal but also the first discussions and the first weeks. All those experiences will be there forever and connect us forever."

…discussions with Xabi Alonso: "Of course, this moment is not all too surprising for us today. Communication with Xabi was and is very open and transparent at all times and the level of trust accordingly great. The final decision came this week even though there was obviously movement and certain thoughts before that."

…discussions on the successor in the dugout: "When I started here it was always said that everything would be over if Kai Havertz left. It didn't turn out to be like that. And it won't be like that again now and things will obviously carry on. Of course, we have had discussions recently and weighed our options and Xabi knew that too. But until something is 100% certain we will not be in the final phase of discussions. The decision has been made and therefore we logically move into that final phase. We will find a good solution for Bayer 04 and are firmly convinced that we will enter a new successful era."

 

 

Simon Rolfes

…the future of Florian Wirtz: "Of course, there are different options with Flo, a lot of clubs are very interested in him. But one option is that he stays with us. He still has two years on his contract and that means we aren't forced to make a decision in the next five days. There is no exact timetable."

…squad planning and players in and out: "First of all it's human response to think about your own future after a successful time with a coach. That's completely normal. As a club, we are very ambitious and we want to have a top coach and a top team next season too. I don't think it's bad that there will be changes. There will be a wind of change and we will create a new dynamic. Lots of players, lots of important players will stay. And we will also bring in good players."

Related News

Fanwelt
Fans - 30.06.2025

Fanwelt closed on 30 June

To all Bayer 04 fans: The Fanwelt will be closed all day next Monday 30 June. This is due to preparations for the change of kit supplier from Castore to New Balance on Tuesday 1 July.

Show more
Julie Jorde
Women - 28.06.2025

Julie Jorde makes permanent move to Brøndby IF

The Norway U23 international Julie Jorde has completed the move from Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Brøndby IF. The twelve-time champions of Denmark have signed the midfielder on permanent terms after her loan move from the Bundesliga to Denmark in the winter.

Show more
Bayer 04
Bayer 04 - 28.06.2025

Not the first time at the BayArena: Profile of Abdoulaye Faye

It is almost two years since Bayer 04 new signing Abdoulaye Faye first stepped foot into the BayArena as a player for the Swedish club BK Häcken in the opening match in the 2023/24 Europa League campaign. A day before his nineteenth birthday, the central defender did not play in the 4-0 win for the Werkself but it was "an incredible night" for him on 21 September 2023 as he explained in his first interview on bayer04.de. "I watched the players and saw the fans. I liked it." It was also the first European night early on in his career. He only joined the then champions of Sweden in the cold north of Europe from his home in Senegal a few weeks before that special moment. Bayer04.de profiles our new defender.

Show more
Abdoulaye Faye wechselt zu Bayer 04 | Erstes Interview
Werkself-TV - 27.06.2025

Faye: ‘Bayer 04 are the best team for my development’

Welcome, Abdoulaye Faye. The 20-year-old Senegalese central defender joins Leverkusen from top-flight Swedish club BK Häcken. In his first interview he talks about his move to Bayer 04 and his targets with the Werkself.

Show more
Faye und Falkenberg
Bayer 04 - 27.06.2025

Bayer 04 sign Senegalese central defender Faye

Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed the Senegalese central defender Abdoulaye Faye. The 20-year-old joins the Bundesliga side from Swedish top-flight club BK Häcken. Faye has penned a contract at Leverkusen to 30 June 2030.

Show more