Fernando Carro (foto: Getty Images)
Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro shares his ambition for the club to win the Champions League under Xabi Alonso's leadership.
Fernando Carro, the CEO of Bayer Leverkusen, has made his ambitions for the club clear: he dreams of seeing Leverkusen win the Champions League. In an interview with the Phrasenmäher podcast from Bild, Carro expressed confidence in the potential of the team, led by Xabi Alonso, to reach new heights in European football.
Reflecting on the club's achievements, Carro mentioned, “Many people tell me we can’t surpass past successes, like our undefeated league season, cup victory, and Europa League final. But I remind them that we’ve been to a Champions League final before.” Bayer Leverkusen last reached the Champions League final in 2002, ultimately losing 2-1 to Real Madrid in Glasgow.
Carro, a Madrid native, also highlighted the strategic decision to appoint Simon Rolfes as sporting director under Rudi Völler in 2018 and shared an encouraging exchange with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge after hiring Alonso. “He called me and said, ‘Fernando, you’ve made a great choice with Xabi. He’s a fantastic person, incredibly smart, and has learned from the best coaches in the world.’”
When asked about his relationship with Bayern Munich’s CEO Max Eberl, Carro acknowledged their strong working relationship, despite past disputes when Eberl was at Borussia Mönchengladbach. As for any potential interest in a role at Bayern, Carro concluded, “I’m very happy where I am, and I’m not someone who needs to constantly change.”