There was an element of relief in the end. "It was a difficult game," said Romelu Lukaku in analysing the Round of 16 game against Getafe last Wednesday. The Spanish club pushed Inter Milan to the limits in Gelsenkirchen: Getafe had early chances to take the lead and later missed a penalty that would have levelled the scores. The progress of the 'Nerazzurri’ was touch and go in the first game after the Europa League restart. However, the superior individual quality of the Serie A runners-up won out in the end: An irresistible individual performance by star striker Lukaku put Inter in front in the first half, and after Getafe missed the penalty, substitute Christian Eriksen sealed the victory at 2-0.
"The Europa League is an important competition for us," said coach Antonio Conte. He knows: His team can go far this year. "The lads are consistently improving and we are now very difficult to beat." With the introduction of Conte and several top European players last summer, Inter have taken a step towards being one of the absolute top clubs in Europe again. They were just one point behind serial champions Juventus in Serie A and the Champions League campaign ended in the group of death with Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund. In the Europa League, Inter first convincingly beat Ludogorets (2-0; 2-1) – and now have deservedly beaten Getafe.
Hats off to anybody who can afford to bring on a Christian Eriksen on 82 minutes. The Danish playmaker, in the starting eleven in the Champions League final last season, is currently the super sub at Inter – in spite of the indisputable class that the midfielder showed against Getafe: Just a few seconds on the pitch and he set himself up to score the goal to make it 2-0. Conte praised the Dane after the Getafe game: "He's fitting in with us more and more." But the squad is currently so full of stars that it is not a given that Eriksen can expect a regular berth in the side.
The club invested heavily last summer: In addition to coach Conte, the former manager at Juve, Chelsea and Italy, there were a host of high quality players like central striker Lukaku, experienced defender Diego Godin and – initially on loan – striker Alexis Sanchez who Inter have now signed on a permanent deal as the club announced on Thursday. In the winter, big names like Ashley Young, Victor Moses and Eriksen followed. Together with quality players already in the squad, such as the much fancied striker Lautaro Martinez, midfield enforcer Marcelo Brozovic and central defender Stefan de Vrij, the transfer activity has produced a team that does not have to fear any other side on the continent.
"We often got it wrong when we played out from the back," said a critical Conte after the Getafe game. In the opening stages of the game, the Spaniards actually managed to put Inter under pressure in transition and thereby often caused the Nerazzurri to lose possession. Otherwise, the team have scarcely made any mistakes in recent weeks and the only evident problem is probably more of a media invention: The reserve role of winter signing Eriksen is a constant subject for discussion in Italy’s newspapers and television broadcasts. But something could soon change in that respect.
Inter Milan appear to be back at the top of European football for the first time since the historic treble season of 2009/2010 under José Mourinho. Even in Serie A, the former regular champions (five scudetti in succession from 2006 to 2010) slipped down to mid-table but now the big renaissance appears to be taking hold. With this high quality – albeit predominately aging – squad, Inter have a great chance in the next few years to win another title – possibly starting this summer.
No question: Inter present a tough challenge for the Werkself. Of the eight remaining teams, there is perhaps no other that has such a large number of big names in their squad. This game could be a real treat and not just for Bayer 04 supporters as it definitely has the potential to be one of the highlight matches of the Europa League tournament – and the winner will have more than realistic chance of progressing to the final in Cologne in the last four against either Shakhtar Donetsk or Basel. There could hardly be more at stake in a quarter-final and it is also clear: The Werkself will need a top performance to go through to the next round.
Goalkeeper Rafaela Borggräfe will continue to play for Bayer 04 Leverkusen next season. The loan of the Germany U23 international, who joined from Liverpool in the winter, has been extended by a further year.
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The Bayer 04 delegation, led by Fernando Carro, CEO, concluded their multi-day trip to Brazil with a visit to the community-based organisation Bola Pra Frente in Rio de Janeiro – founded by former Werkself player Jorginho. During the visit, Bayer 04 committed to extending support for the Bola Pra Frente project for a further five years. In addition, Jorginho, a member of the Brazil 1994 World Cup-winning squad, was named Bayer 04’s second official club legend. With the visit to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the club has strengthened the relationships built up over the years in one of Bayer 04’s most important international markets.
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Ten years after retiring as a player, Kristina Sundov is returning to the Bayer 04 Women’s team as assistant coach. The 39-year-old former Croatia international takes over from Remzi Kahraman, who has taken up a new challenge abroad. She has been given a contract to 30 June 2028.
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The training pitches at the BayArena are already buzzing with activity again, even before training officially begins next week. On Monday morning, a small group from the Werkself first-team squad completed a session lasting around an hour. Both new and familiar faces were present.
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One ticket, two matches – and a varied programme of events, including appearances by players from the professional teams: Bayer 04 has come up with something very special for the 2026 season launch on Saturday, 8 August. From morning right through to the evening, Werkself fans can use just one ticket to not only enjoy top-class football from the Bayer 04 teams live, but also to experience unforgettable moments with the whole family through a variety of hands-on activities around the BayArena and the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The day will also end on a real high note: after both matches, Bayer 04 supporters will have the opportunity to interact directly with the players during joint activities and get to know them from a different angle.
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