Granit Xhaka on...
...his move to Leverkusen: I had very good talks with Simon Rolfes (sporting managing director, ed.) and also with Xabi. The ideas and philosophy of the club persuaded me. It was a straightforward decision to join Leverkusen. I really feel at home here although it's only my second day. The lads are brilliant and I've had a great reception.
…his targets for the coming season: Now I'm going to try to apply the experience, which I gained in the last few years in London (at Arsenal, ed.), here and bring this young team with me. It's a challenge but I see loads of potential here. The players are in great shape and there’s a very good team spirit.
...his new head coach: There's ten years difference but we've had a connection for a long while through our common experience in the Bundesliga. We faced each other as opponents back then, he was playing for Bayern Munich and I was at Gladbach (Borussia Mönchengladbach, ed.).That was almost the first thing we talked about. Bayern always tore us apart, they had a great team back then. Xabi is a role model for everybody – players and coaches. And his first call to me was something special. I'm happy I can now be part of this team.
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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