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Leverkusen (dpa) - After more than 20 years, Rudi Völler is leaving Bayer Leverkusen next summer and wants to fulfill a big dream beforehand.
“I hope to be able to say goodbye with a title,” said the 60-year-old in an interview with “Sport Bild”.
In this, Völler also confirmed for the first time that he will definitely stop as head of sports at Bayer in the coming year.
“I discussed the subject with my wife Sabrina at Christmas.
Since then it has been clear: 2022 will be over for me.
At least in this form, ”said the former team boss of the German national team.
However, he did not rule out a return in another function after a break.
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The 1990 world champion has been the face of the club for many years and has made a difference in Leverkusen.
"Rudi Völler played a major role in Bayer 04 being an excellent address in German and international football today," said club boss Fernando Carro of the German Press Agency: "His vast experience has been and is very helpful for me in classifying Issues in the troubled football business. "
But he sees Bayer as "basically very well positioned".
But as absurd as it sounds: when Völler came to Leverkusen in 1994, the club had won the cup the year before.
After a total of 21 years with the goal scorer and functionary Völler - interrupted by almost five years as a coach with the national team and AS Roma - no further title has been added.
“There's a longing for a title here, that's clear.
And I'm self-critical enough to say that it wasn't enough for Bayer Leverkusen to have only reached and lost the final twice in the DFB Cup, ”said Völler:“ We've been eliminated too often against teams that didn't may.
We were too careless.
We were all very angry about that and it got louder, especially because the DFB Cup is the best chance for a club like Bayer 04 to win a title. "
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That should now be different in the farewell year, whereby missing the European Cup in the table sixth would significantly change the conditions.
It seems clear that the former Bayer captain Simon Rolfes will move up after Völler's departure.
Stefan Kießling, who has been introduced for a while, could take over the position of previous sports director.
"Simon Rolfes does a very good job as sports director," Völler praised: "With his current participation in the DFL and DFB management course, Stefan Kießling is taking the next steps to play an important role at Bayer 04 in the future."
After so many years in the front row, he himself certainly needs a bit of distance.
But Leverkusen is of course my club, "said Völler:" I'll discuss with Mr. Wenning (Chairman of the Shareholders' Committee, editor) whether it will continue in another form.
But it can also be that at some point I'll do something really crazy. "
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210331-99-36661 / 5
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