They are playing great football and in an alternate universe they might be 6th-8th with another coach.
However: It must also be said that Bayer04 has an outstanding squad and with the exception of Diaby, not a single player of importance was lost (Meanwhile RB lost half their squad). The squad contains brilliant players that - in case of Wirtz and Frimpong - aren’t even playing above their capabilities even at this moment. So it’s not surprising that Bayer is a contendor - it’s more surprising that they haven’t been last season.
However: You gotta admit that Rolfes knows how to spend his Glyphosat-Money. Grimaldo, Hoffmann, Xhaka and Boniface all worked out perfect for the team.
23/24: 80 Mill in / 70 out. High loan players brought in, too.
22/23: 15 Mill in / 10 out.
21/22: 55 Mill in / 43 out
20/21: 46 in / 91 out
19/20: 100 in / 33 out
Sum: ~ 300 Million in / 240 out over the last few seasons. That’s a transfer gap of 60 Million by a club that has an average viewer count of 28k (as much as Karlsruhe SC has in 2. Bundesliga; half as much as Hamburger SV) and 30k members compared (half as much as Freiburg and a fourth of Frankfurt or Cologne).
I am 100% willing to give you another 50 mill on top for CL-Money and everything, but dont tell me thats Diaby money. 25 Million each season by Bayer - that’s what pays competitive wages and works as the main security.
They are playing great football and in an alternate universe they might be 6th-8th with another coach.
However: It must also be said that Bayer04 has an outstanding squad and with the exception of Diaby, not a single player of importance was lost (Meanwhile RB lost half their squad). The squad contains brilliant players that - in case of Wirtz and Frimpong - aren’t even playing above their capabilities even at this moment. So it’s not surprising that Bayer is a contendor - it’s more surprising that they haven’t been last season.
However: You gotta admit that Rolfes knows how to spend his Glyphosat-Money. Grimaldo, Hoffmann, Xhaka and Boniface all worked out perfect for the team.
It’s actually Diaby-money…
23/24: 80 Mill in / 70 out. High loan players brought in, too. 22/23: 15 Mill in / 10 out. 21/22: 55 Mill in / 43 out 20/21: 46 in / 91 out 19/20: 100 in / 33 out
Sum: ~ 300 Million in / 240 out over the last few seasons. That’s a transfer gap of 60 Million by a club that has an average viewer count of 28k (as much as Karlsruhe SC has in 2. Bundesliga; half as much as Hamburger SV) and 30k members compared (half as much as Freiburg and a fourth of Frankfurt or Cologne).
I am 100% willing to give you another 50 mill on top for CL-Money and everything, but dont tell me thats Diaby money. 25 Million each season by Bayer - that’s what pays competitive wages and works as the main security.
🥳