3.03.2022U17

Sergi Runge joins youth set-up from Barcelona

From La Masia to Kurtekotten: Spanish-born Sergi Runge, most recently working with the U16s at Barcelona, has joined the youth coaching staff at Bayer 04 and he will be the assistant to the U17 coach Thomas Zdebel until the end of the season.

The 28-year-old gained his first experience as a youth coach during his time on a Sports Studies course in Barcelona and that included being at the Spanish third division club Unió Esportiva Cornellà. After completing postgraduate studies (Education and Sports Management) Sergi Runge moved on to one of the top clubs in Costa Rica: He was assistant to the first team coach at Liga Deportiva Alajuelense and also head coach of the U17 side.

After a year in Central America, he followed the call to La Masia and started at Barcelona in the summer of 2020. Runge, who speaks fluent German and English in addition to Spanish, this week started working alongside Thomas Zdebel on the coaching staff of the Leverkusen U17s.

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