Bayer 04 flags, balloons in black, red and gold and a big LED screen with images of the Werkself players: What a welcome. All the players, head coach Xabi Alonso and the club management members Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes were called onto the stage individually and then introduced with the listing of their previous sporting achievements. The Bayer AG members of staff, all wearing Bayer 04 shirts, greeted the visitors from Leverkusen with loud applause.
Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO, spoke on stage to the employees at the Bayer site: "We are happy to be guests in a football crazy city like St. Louis. We also congratulate you for the club from this city playing in the MLS next year. Our club Bayer 04 belongs to Bayer AG, you work for Bayer – to that extent it's a perfect match." In response to the question of who would come to the match at the newly built CITYPARK Stadium, everybody raised their hands. Carro: “We look forward to welcoming you to the game on Wednesday."
Fernando Carro presented a gift to Jackie Applegate, CEO Crop Science North America: a shirt made up in two halves of the white jersey of St. Louis CITY SC and the red home shirt of Bayer 04.
Jackie Applegate: "It's a great day for Bayer Crop Science North America. We are happy to welcome Bayer 04 here to us in St Louis. Bayer AG has succeeded in connecting our heartland to Germany. We can't wait for the match on Wednesday." For Applegate it will not be the first Werkself match she has seen live: The Bayer manager, who worked in Germany for Bayer AG for three years, has been a member of the Bayer 04 fan club 'Alte Hasen' since 1998.
At the end of the event, the employees had plenty of time to get autographs and take selfies with the players, coaches and management.
The Nerazzurri are in town: Today, Tuesday 10 December, Bayer 04 entertain the reigning champions of Italy Inter Milan on Matchday 6 in the UEFA Champions League (kick-off: 21.00 CET/live on DAZN and on Werkself Radio). Read on for the latest information on the home game at the BayArena.
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The Bayer 04 U19 team lost 1-0 to Inter Milan on the sixth and final matchday in the league phase of the UEFA Youth League 2024/25. The only goal of the game was scored just after the hour mark. While the side from North Italy have finished top in the league phase with a maximum points return, the Leverkusen team appeared to have just missed out on the knockout stages of the European competition. There is faint hope looking to several games to follow where results are needed to go the way of the Werkself.
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Italian teams are known for being strong in defence. The fact that Inter Milan, the next opponents for the Werkself in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, 10 December (kick-off: 20.45 CET), have not conceded a single goal in their last five matches is impressive. Will the visitors' keeper Yann Sommer be able to keep a clean sheet at the BayArena against Florian Wirtz and Co.? The lowdown on our next opponents.
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The Werkself are away to Borussia Dortmund on Bundesliga Matchday 16. The game at the Signal Iduna Park on Friday, 10 January 2025, kicks off at 20.30 CET. Read on for information on ticket sales.
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