The cheerful left back shows no sign of sadness now. Quite the opposite: Wendell quickly came to terms with his situation and is now working hard to make a comeback as soon as possible.
And that might happen soon. The talented Brazilian missed out on the previous friendlies but has been busy on the training ground in every session at the Werkself training camp in Austria. “I’m incredibly happy to be back,” he said with his eyes lighting up like a young child at Christmas: “I feel really good again. Simply muito bem!”
It was a different story straight after the injury. Understandable given Wendell missed the Bundesliga run-in. “I needed a couple of days, ” he admitted. But the Brazilian was able to count on the support of his family. Not just his wife and child living with him in the Rhineland but also on his parents who flew over straight away from Brazil to look after their youngest. Wendell had intended to visit them before the Olympic Games but his focus was on rehab so he stayed in Leverkusen.
No holiday but all the sacrifice has paid off. Wendell wants to be back to his best for the start of the season. “So we can have as much fun and success as a team just like last season,” he said. Until then he will watch the matches at the Olympic Games on the television and Wendell is already looking forward to a Final between Germany, with Lars Bender and Julian Brandt, and Brazil with his Brazilian friends including Neymar. And who does he want to win? “A difficult question but perhaps a win for us Brazilians would be a bit more important.”
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.
Show more
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.
Show more
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.
Show more
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.
Show more
