Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro: “Bayern have three times our budget, Dortmund double our budget. Financially, we won’t be able to catch up with them”

Speaking to RTL (via @bayer04Xtra), ahead of Bayer Leverkusen Europa League quarter-final second leg, CEO Fernando Carro spoke on the financial aspect of the Bundesliga.

When asked about the differences in finances, Carro said: “Bayern have three times our budget, Dortmund double our budget. Financially, we won’t be able to catch up with them, but that’s why we need to be faster and better in other areas. We need to use our resources intelligently for young, talented players but also for older, more experienced players to balance things out. We also want to keep hiring young coaches, who aren’t at their peak yet and might be unattainable in the future.”

There has been recent discourse surrounding Leverkusen’s title win because, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they had any debts removed by their parent company, Bayer. Although this may be true, it does take away from the achievements of the players and Xabi Alonso as similar things have happened to RB Leipzig, who did win the DFB-Pokal as well as  Hoffenheim and Wolfsburg, and neither team has come close to winning anything. 

According to Capology, Bayer Leverkusen have the fourth-highest payroll in the league behind Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig. Their highest-paid player is also said to be Alejandro Grimaldo who earns a base salary of €6m net. The salary of Granit Xhaka has not been verified.

Some of the players that Leverkusen have signed in the past few seasons include Florian Wirtz, Victor Boniface, Jeremie Frimpong, Exequiel Palacios, Edmond Tapsoba, Odilon Kossounou, Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby. 

On what the summer window may bring, Carro said: “There will be small changes in the squad, but not too big ones. We want to learn from the past. In the 21/22 season, we finished third and maybe started a bit too confident in the following season.”

GGFN | Jack Meenan