Bayer Leverkusen's Leon Bailey Hunted Down by Pro Boxer After Snapchat Taunt
Apr 4, 2017
MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 15: Leon Bailey of Bayer 04 Leverkusen celebrates during their 2016-17 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match between Atletico de Madrid and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the Estadio Vicente Calderon on 15 March 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Power Sport Images/Getty Images)
Bayern Leverkusen star Leon Bailey got himself in hot water after he filmed boxer Atif Tanriseven Ribera practicing at a gym and called him a "clown" in a Snapchat post.
Per George Mills in the Daily Star, Jamaican Bailey, 19, visited Belgian city Genk last weekend, where he used to play, and filmed Ribera at a local gym.
In the now-deleted Snapchat post, Bailey can be heard mocking the boxer, per Mikey Traynor of Balls.ie (Warning: posts contain profanity):
Ribera then saw the video and tracked Bailey down before confronting him about what he had done live on Facebook, per Traynor:
Per Mills, he told Bailey: "Why are you filming me? You're a clown, a fake-ass footballer. If I hear one more time, I'll break your face."
Bailey is one of the brightest young attacking talents in Europe and has been linked in the past with a number of top clubs, including Manchester United, per ESPN FC's Michael Yokhin.
He moved from Genk to Leverkusen in January after showing fine form for the Belgian outfit. He particularly impressed in the UEFA Europa League with four goals in six appearances, per WhoScored.com.
Bailey has yet to establish himself in the Bayer first team and has played only 27 Bundesliga minutes since his transfer.
But the fact the German side spent £12.8 million to sign him is indicative of how highly they rate him, and they would likely prefer he avoided baiting professional boxers again in the future.
Javier Hernandez Wins 3rd Consecutive Bundesliga Player of the Month Award
Feb 2, 2016
Leverkusen's Mexican forward Javier Hernandez (Chicharito) celebrates after scoring during the German first division Bundesliga football match of Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Hannover 96 in Leverkusen, western Germany, on January 30, 2016.
Leverkusen won the m
Javier Hernandez is having quite the season with Bayer Leverkusen.
The Mexican forward has scored nine goals in his last seven games, per ESPN FC, and sits fourth in the Bundesliga scoring charts. Furthermore, his record over the past 16 games is only matched by one other forward in Europe:
*Look away now Louis van Gaal*
Most goals scored in Europe over last 16 games #Chicharito
As our friend Tom Olver at Metro pointed out, this is the third successive month in which he has taken home the gong.
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal deemed Hernandez surplus to requirements this past summer and sold the forward for a little over £7 million. This surely makes him one of the biggest bargains of the 2015-16 season—and one of the most regrettable decisions of LVG's reign at Old Trafford.
Javier Hernandez to Bayer Leverkusen: Latest Transfer Details, Reaction and More
Aug 31, 2015
BRUGGE, BELGIUM - AUGUST 26: Javier Hernandez of Manchester United during the UEFA Champions League Qualifying Round Play Off Second Leg between Club Brugge and Manchester United on August 26, 2015 in Brugge, Belgium. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez has joined Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, bringing to a close a five-year spell for the Mexican at Old Trafford.
United's official site confirmed the deal:
Javier Hernandez has completed a permanent move to Bayer Leverkusen. We wish him all the best for the future. #mufcpic.twitter.com/uGUMobMLzW
ESPN FC's Richard Jolly suggests the fee is reportedly £8.75 million. That's not a bad return for a player United boss Louis van Gaal clearly has no faith in.
The Red Devils gaffer left the Mexican poacher on the bench during United's recent 2-1 loss to Swansea City. Instead, he opted to introduce towering midfielder Marouane Fellaini ahead of the one-time goal-getter.
Hernandez spent the 2014-15 season out on loan at Real Madrid, scoring five times and assisting three in his last 11 appearances for Los Blancos, per WhoScored.com.
Despite his strong end to the term, Real did not take up their option to sign the then-26-year-old forward permanently, and he returned to Old Trafford, per Rob Dawson in the Manchester Evening News.
Hernandez was brought to the Premier League by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2010 from Mexican side Chivas and quickly became a firm fan favourite, helping United capture the title in his first season.
His fine finishing and ability to terrorise opposition defenders with pace made him a valuable asset under Ferguson, and his scoring rate was impressive as he often made an impact from the bench.
However, he became a peripheral figure under David Moyes' management and was moved on to Real by Van Gaal as the Dutchman looked to build a new team.
Hernandez still has the ability to cut it at the top level, though, and will be a fine asset at Leverkusen, as he effectively guarantees goals, as noted by the Daily Mail's Adam Crafton:
Javier Hernandez returning to #mufc. If they have any sense they will be keeping him & guaranteeing 15 goals next season.
The Bundesliga will be an interesting change of pace for Hernandez. Leverkusen are a team that have been hugely impressive under the tutelage of Roger Schmidt, and it’ll be intriguing to see just how he deploys the Mexico international moving forward. Ousting Steffan Kiesling from the starting lineup will be a difficult task, though.
Many United fans will be sad to see Chicharito go, especially given United's troubles in front of goal early in the season.
Hakan Calhanoglu Will Be the Emerging Face of the Bundesliga This Season
Jul 16, 2015
Away from the glare of Bayern Munich-Borussia Dortmund-centric Bundesliga coverage lies a remarkable young talent plying his trade for Bayer Leverkusen. His name? Hakan Calhanoglu, and he has both B04 and Turkish football fans brimming with excitement over his future in the game.
He shot to prominence in the 2013-14 season while turning out for Hamburg, netting an astonishing 41-metre free-kick against Dortmund to truly catch the continent's eye. With Roman Weidenfeller flailing and Calhanoglu whirling away to celebrate, the iconic Jurgen Klopp looked on from the sidelines, struggling to know whether to laugh or cry at what he'd just seen.
Moment seized, Calhanoglu has leapt from strength to strength in a short period of time; a €14 million move to Leverkusen soon followed that set piece, and Roger Schmidt has made him a key cog in a new-look heavyweight side.
After 39 combined starts across league and UEFA Champions League action in 2014-15, the talented playmaker is a well-known (and feared) commodity across Germany and represents the Bundesliga's emerging face in Europe.
1. Physical
Calhanoglu is 5'10" and of average build. That's pretty much the marker for him as an athlete.
Unlike others profiled at B/R this week, such as Jack Grealish (agile), Bernardo Silva (elusive) and Paulo Dybala (poised), Calhanoglu has no discernible physical trait worth boasting about. He's not slow but not fast; he's not a twig, but he's no powerhouse; and his height matches the national average for the nation in which he was born, Germany.
2. Pressing
Bayer Leverkusen made by far the most intriguing and tactically exciting managerial appointment of 2014, appointing Roger Schmidt after the German had caught the eye across Europe with his wild experiments and success with Austrian outfit Red Bull Salzburg.
His bizarre and curious tactical strategies, involving high-block pressing, direct, exciting attacking moves and losing the ball in certain areas on purpose, have been tempered slightly because Leverkusen are chasing for major honours, but it's still been suitably nutty and against the grain.
The pressing aspect of his tactical setup has ensured there have been no passengers in his project so far, and you can bet Calhanoglu would not have been signed if he wasn't able to pull his weight in every aspect—including the off-the-ball work.
There have been hundreds, even thousands, of technically brilliant No. 10s who have decided themselves above such hard work, but Calhanoglu has a tenacious and determined edge to his playmaking ability. His effort makes up for his mediocrity as an athlete, closing and snapping at heels while chasing possession and doing his best to block passing lanes.
He's far from perfect in this respect, but his response to the challenge laid down is commendable: Other 21-year-old full internationals with a wand of a boot might just take a different opinion of his manager's methods.
3. Killer Balls
If we were to describe Calhanoglu with one label other than "set-piece wizard," it'd be "killer-ball merchant"; his first, second and third preference when picking passes is to slice the opponent in twain.
The key element here, following good touch and control, along with the ability to quickly shift the ball out from under his feet and into a striking position, is his no-nonsense approach to passing. Put simply, he doesn't dither or dally, checking his options; he lifts his chin and releases the ball within a second if the run is on.
He cuts across the ball with remarkable finesse, caressing it with the outside of his boot just as well as he does with the inside. He spots gaps and feeds it through, cutting opponents' lines and systems into pieces, sending them into disarray with one ball.
The urgency with which he moves the ball out of his feet is paramount to his success, and it makes him a stunning fit for Schmidt once again. Not only does he press and harass to the best of his ability, but he capitalises on the turnovers by initiating quick attacks from advantageous positions.
He can pick the ball up deep and pick a striker's run into the channel or find space between the lines in an advanced position, turn and feed a cute ball in behind the defence for his No. 9. Clever, movement-based strikers thrive in a team with Calhanoglu therein; their instinctive runs are picked out, not ignored.
In essence, he knows when to be direct; he sees clear-cut chances quickly and looks to capitalise on them. It's been working to Leverkusen's advantage and will continue to, and it saved Hamburg from relegation in 2014.
4. Spread Play
Importantly, though, Calhanoglu is not forever chasing the cutting, incisive through ball. While he obviously prefers to play it, he has other dimensions to his passing that make him an all-round star.
Again, starting off the back of the quickness with which he primes a pass, the Turkish maestro is able to spread play superbly to the left or to the right. Sitting in the No. 10 space, centrally, he'll shift play to either flank at will, moving the ball to whichever situation looks more dangerous for the opposition.
The timing and shape of his passes are built perfectly for the role he takes on, and he's been able to pick out quicker wingers and overloading runners for Leverkusen with accurate, arcing deliveries.
As with the cutting passes benefiting the No. 9s, the same occurs here. It's notable that both of Leverkusen's first-choice wingers in 2014-15, Son Heung-Min and Karim Bellarabi, hit double figures for goals, per WhoScored.com. In fact, both managed more than designated striker and experienced goal poacher Stefan Kiessling in the Bundesliga, scoring 11 and 12 respectively to Kiessling's nine.
It certainly wasn't all down to Calhanoglu, but his creative presence and incisiveness allowed them clearer chances on goal throughout the campaign. In particular, he developed a very strong understanding with Bellarabi, learning how the Germany international times his runs and where he wants the ball to be played.
The results were borderline devastating at times.
5. Set Pieces
We arrive at the main meal. If Calhanoglu continues to take free-kicks for the next nine years as he has over the last two, he'll go down as the greatest free-kick taker of all time—no exaggeration.
Here's a resume of his work from dead-ball situations from 2014-15 alone:
It's pretty brutal what he's been doing to goalkeepers for the last 12 months. These set pieces are taken in the Bundesliga too, which is arguably the best league for goalkeeping standards in world football right now.
He outfoxed Dortmund's Roman Weidenfeller from 41 metres to make his name, then cemented that reputation by beating Bayern's Manuel Neuer and a whole host of others too.
It's not just the attempts on goal that worry opponents from these positions, but the sweet deliveries from the wide areas too. He bends a wonderful delivery into the box to be headed home, with Kiessling, Omer Toprak and many more benefiting from the service last season.
It's a game-breaking ability, and it's served Schmidt extremely well over the past year. If Leverkusen come up short when trying to break down a particularly stubborn opponent, a free-kick won in the right area could be all it takes to jimmy the lock—Hakan will surely come up with the goods.
6. Crossing/Shifting Wide
There are occasions when opponents try to mark Calhanoglu out of the game, such is his destructive ability from the No. 10 space. Teams try to clog his zone with two or three men, providing an insurmountable blockade for both runs and passes.
Athletically average playmakers struggle in these situations. For example, when Kaka hit physical decline and could no longer evade markers with his giraffe-esque stride, he succumbed to the lower-level tactics of lesser players.
But Calhanoglu retains the ability to drift wide and utilise his wicked deliveries as crosses rather than passes; he can shimmy left or right to evade the increased attention and still be lethal for his manager and team.
He's got a better cross than most wingers in the game, measuring deliveries with the same poise and precision used to stupefy goalkeepers from dead-ball situations. Kiessling's great movement in the box opens the angle for him, which he finds nearly every time.
Son scored a fair few back-post conversions and tap-ins last season, boosting his tally to 15 goals overall, and Calhanoglu's deliveries were key to this. He can shape to deliver into the middle, gather a crowd of bodies, then pick out Son steaming in off the far edge with consummate ease.
Projection
"Hakan is one of 11 players and our strength is the whole team," Schmidt stated following Leverkusen's 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League last season, per Goal. He was forced to bring to attention the other 10 players wearing black and red as reporters barraged him with questions about goalscorer Calhanoglu.
Not only is he the ultimate highlight-reel player thanks to his ridiculous free-kicks, but he's also a potentially world-class player maturing quickly under a manager who understands his strengths and weaknesses. When a brilliant No. 10 can still make himself a devastating presence despite increased attention from the opposition, you know you've got a true talent on your hands.
Games
Goals
Assists
Key Passes (pg)
Acc. Crosses (pg)
Bundesliga
31
8
6
2.2
1.5
Champions League
8
2
2
2.5
1.8
Born in Germany but with Turkish lineage, he's the next in a growing line of Bundesliga heroes who straddle the two nationalities—Mesut Ozil, Ilkay Gundogan and Nuri Sahin being more established examples.
Playing in the Champions League opens the window for all to witness his prowess, and should Leverkusen draw an established heavyweight in their group—provided they make it through the play-off—it'll be Calhanoglu's chance to show the world what he can do.
It's easy to project Calhanoglu as the emerging face of the Bundesliga; he ticks all the appropriate boxes.
Leverkusen's Emir Spahic Headbutts a Steward Following Physical Altercation
Apr 9, 2015
Emir Spahic could find himself in a considerable amount of trouble after clashing with stewards following Bayer Leverkusen's match with Bayern Munich Wednesday night.
Leverkusen drew 0-0 with the Bavarian giants but fell 5-3 on penalties in the DFB-Pokal quarter-finals.
In the aftermath, the Bosnian defender got into a physical altercation with stewards, which apparently stemmed from trying to get his friends to the changing rooms from their private box (per Bild, h/t Sports Joe)
When the stewards wouldn't allow it to happen, things got ugly. The confrontation reached an apex when Spahic headbutted a steward.
Spahic was already sidelined as a result of an ankle injury during the match, but his woes could be compounded by the fact the police are now investigating the incident.
Update Sunday April 12
Leverkusen have now released Spahic after investigating the incident.
Incredible - footage of Leverkusen's Emir Spahic headbutting a steward after Wednesday's game v Bayern (via @BILD) pic.twitter.com/xwD6IPqldD
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Atletico Madrid: Highlights from Champions League Clash
Feb 25, 2015
Leverkusen's head coach Roger Schmidt, left, argues with Atletico's coach Diego Simeone during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Atletico de Madrid on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015 in Leverkusen, Germany. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Atletico Madrid visited Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday night in their first step toward reaching their second consecutive Champions League final.
Neither team managed a goal in the first half, but much of that is thanks to Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno, who did fine work to deny Atletico an opening goal.
The managers provided much of the first-half fireworks, as Atletico coaches German Burgos and Diego Simeone had a confrontation with German manager Roger Schmidt.
@RazaESPN Simeone y Burgos (Atlético) se encaran con Schmidt (DT Leverkusen)... Ojo a los labios del "mono". https://t.co/kqCZDfZwej
On Saturday, Borussia Dortmund return to Bundesliga action with a tough affair away to Bayer Leverkusen at the famous BayArena ...
Tin Jedvaj: Why Bayer Leverkusen Prised Rising Star Away from Roma
Jan 22, 2015
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 09: Tin Jedvaj of Bayer Leverkusen during the pre season friendly match between Southampton and Bayer Leverkusen at St Mary's Stadium on August 9, 2014 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Robin Parker/Getty Images)
If you are wondering how Jedvaj went from Roma's cash-cow to being briskly sold to Bayer Leverkusen, here is a thorough explanation.
In 2013, Roma signed Jedvaj, then a 17-year-old prospect from Dinamo Zagreb, for €5/£3.8 million.
It was a significant investment as it was comparable to the €5.7/£4.3 million Roma paid to Corinthians for Marquinhos.
Serie A
Marquinhos (2012-13)
Tin Jedvaj (2013-14)
Games Played
26
2
Starting % Games Involved
84.6
50
Minutes Per Game
80.8
48.5
Unlike Marquinhos, who started as a Roma rookie, Jedvaj was a squad player.
Jedvaj featured in 5.3 percent of Roma's Italian Serie A campaign (2/38) and started 50 percent of games he was involved in (one start, one substitute appearance).
You would think sitting on the bench for 76.3 percent of the league season (29/38) may have forced Jedvaj to fantasise about what it would have been like to play for Tottenham Hotspur.
Rewind to pre-Roma signing Jedvaj.
Dinamo Zagreb president Mirko Barisic disclosed Jedvaj and Alen Halilovic were set to join Tottenham Hotspur.
"Tin and Alen will go to Tottenham Hotspur, but no-one can guarantee that," Barisic said, per Jure Bohoric at Sky Sports. "I can also reveal that there are many clubs after both of them, there is not a club from the top 20 in Europe that didn't ask us about them."
Though, Tottenham Hotspur baulked at the proposed €22.6/£17.3 million packaged deal.
This is the context behind seeds of doubt possibly being planted into Jedvaj's mind as he attempted to cope with being on the outside looking in.
Roma placated Jedvaj's concerns by loaning him to Bayer Leverkusen for two seasons.
League Only
Tin Jedvaj (Roma)
Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen)
Games Played
2
14
Starting % Games Involved
50
85.7
Minutes Per Game
48.5
79.1
At Roma, Jedvaj started 50 percent of games he was involved in.
This has increased to 85.7 percent at Bayer Leverkusen (12 starts, two substitute appearances).
Jedvaj has featured in 82.4 percent of Bayer Leverkusen's German Bundesliga season (14/17), a 77.1 percent increase compared to last season at Roma.
Invariably, Jedvaj announced he did not want to return to Roma.
"I would like to stay at Bayer Leverkusen after the expiration of the loan," Jedvaj said, per Sportske novosti (h/t RomaPress.us). "Yes, the [Bundesliga] is better [than Serie A]."
It confirmed what Il Messaggero (h/t Football Italia) had revealed earlier: Jedvaj wanted out of his Roma contract.
Instead of Jedvaj forcing Roma's hand once he became a Bayer Leverkusen starter, go back and look at the terms of his loan.
Here are the two pertinent facts you need to know, per ASRoma.it:
Roma allowed Bayer Leverkusen to negotiate a right to buy Jedvaj outright.
However, Roma had the option to counter Bayer Leverkusen's purchase clause.
If Roma rated Jedvaj, they would not have allowed Bayer Leverkusen any scope to turn the loan into a permanent deal.
Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller even haggled Roma on Jedvaj's transfer value.
"We are negotiating with Roma and we have a good relationship with them," Voller said, per Bild (h/t Football Italia). "[But Roma's] demand for €10/£7.7 million is not realistic."
Settling for a €2/£1.6 million profit—talk about small potatoes—indicates to you that Roma might believe Jedvaj has peaked.
Not even exercising the option to counter Bayer Leverkusen's bid is a red flag from Roma.
That leeway enabled Real Madrid to re-sign Daniel Carvajal from Bayer Leverkusen.
"We always knew right from the very start that Real Madrid would recognise [Carvajal's] sporting value sooner or later," Voller said, per the Bundesliga.com. "He's been so convincing this season that Real Madrid's decision does not surprise us in the least."
Bundesliga
Daniel Carvajal (2012-13)
Tin Jedvaj (2014-15)
Tackles Per Game
3.4
1.9
Tackle Success %
78.6
76.5
Tackles Per Foul
2.4
1.4
Interceptions Per Game
3.7
3.1
Passes Per Game
43.6
31.5
Key Passes Per Game
1.5
0.4
Pass Success %
79.8
70.1
Carvajal at Bayer Leverkusen was a stronger tackler and more efficient in possession than Jedvaj, who has interchanged across the back line.
Kicker ranking Carvajal as the 41st-best footballer of the 2012-13 Bundesliga season, 62 places ahead of Jedvaj's current ranking (103) shows you the gap in quality between their first seasons at Bayer Leverkusen.
Bayer Leverkusen enabled Carvajal to demonstrate his world-class upside as a right-back, whereas Jedvaj is still figuring out his identity.
Bundesliga Starts
RB
CB
LB
Daniel Carvajal
100%
0%
0%
Tin Jedvaj
50%
41.7%
8.3%
Jedvaj's best moment for Bayer Leverkusen is not a defensive one.
It was making a deep run, latching on to Bayer Leverkusen centre-forward Stefan Kiessling's pass, and smashing a rocket-like shot past Werder Bremen goalkeeper Raphael Wolf in a 3-3 draw.
Bayer Leverkusen will probably sugar-coat Jedvaj being moved around the back line as a sign of his versatility.
In reality, he is a defensive liability.
Bayer Leverkusen4-2Hertha Berlin:Misjudging Hertha Berlin centre-forward Julian Schieber's pass, Jedvaj slid the ball past Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno for an own goal.
Bayer Leverkusen3-3Werder Bremen: Did not communicate effectively which was why Jedvaj ended up marking both Werder Bremen substitute IzetHajrovic and centre-back Sebastian Prodl. Jedvaj switched to Hajrovic; Prodl scored.
Wolfsburg4-1 Bayer Leverkusen: Instead of clearing the ball, Jedvaj lost his footing, allowing Wolfsburg defensive midfielder Luiz Gustavo to win the ball. Gustavo passed the ball to Wolfsburg substitute Aaron Hunt, whose initial shot rebounded off the late Junior Malanda (rest in peace) and back into Hunt's path, who scored on his second attempt.
Bayer Leverkusen1-0Schalke:Jedvaj was red-carded after recklessly lunging into Schalke substitute Jan Kirchhoff in front of referee Manuel Grafe.
Bayer Leverkusen1-1Eintracht Frankfurt: Out of position, Jedvaj overcompensated, and hacked down Eintracht Frankfurt central midfielder TakashiInui to concede a cheap penalty. Eintracht Frankfurt centre-forward Alexander Meier converted the ensuing spot-kick.
Roma watched Jedvaj day in, day out in training and monitored his performances at Bayer Leverkusen.
You can only surmise Roma were turned off by Jedvaj's high-risk defending and/or his character (he quit), which prompted the Giallorossi to cut bait.
Roma could be projecting Jedvaj's development to plateau, possibly classing him as an early bloomer, as was the case with the likes of Ante Vukusic, Marko Livaja, Sime Vrsaljko and Vedran Celjak.
Bayer Leverkusen are taking a glass half-full approach, perhaps inspired by Ze Roberto, who abandoned Real Madrid and had a brief spell at Flamengo.
"I believe that if I'd have stayed [at Real Madrid] I'd have been a success," Ze Roberto said, per FIFA.com. "When I got the offer from Bayer Leverkusen, I convinced my wife that it was an opportunity that we might not get again."
If Jedvaj has a career as good as Ze Roberto's, the Croatian will be able to have the gravitas to say he could have hypothetically been a success at Roma.
"Tin Jedvaj has great potential and has consistently shown that in the few months he's been [at Bayer Leverkusen]," Voller said, per Bayer04.de. "His versatility will certainly pay off for us. So we decided to sign Tin straight away."
Andre Ramalho: Bayer Leverkusen's Very Own David Luiz
Jan 8, 2015
SALZBURG,AUSTRIA - SEPTEMBER 18: Andre Ramalho of FC Salzburg in action during the UEFA Europa League Group D match between FC Salzburg and Celtic FC on September 18, 2014 in Salzburg,Austria. (Photo by Samuel Kubani/EuroFootball/Getty Images)
Bayer Leverkusenannounced a deal slated in the summer for Red Bull Salzburg's Brazilian centre-back Andre Ramalho, 22, on a free transfer.
Flaunting retro Jheri curl hair, a moustache and a panache approach to defending, Ramalho could become a box-office hit being Bayer Leverkusen's answer to David Luiz—love him or hate him, you are still going to watch him.
Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller spoke about Ramalho's adaptability.
"Ramalho is a talented and young defensive all-rounder," Voller said, per Bayer04.de. "He will be able to help us out a lot next season in our many competitive games thanks to his versatility."
UEFA Europa League 2014-15
Tackles Per Game
Tackle Success %
Interceptions Per Game
Fouls Per Game
Andre Ramalho
2.8
77.8
3.2
1.4
Martin Stranzl
1.3
62.5
1.5
0.8
Naldo
3.7
81.5
4.5
1.2
Robin Knoche
1.7
71.4
2.0
0.7
Tony Jantschke
2.0
70.6
2.3
0.5
Talented is the right adjective from Voller because in comparison to Bundesliga centre-backs in the UEFA Europa League, Ramalho is second to Naldo in tackles per game, tackle success percentage and interceptions per game.
There is a clear opening for Ramalho at Bayer Leverkusen next season.
Roma loanee Tin Jedvaj, who can interchange from right-back to centre-back, is a big prospect. Voller is attempting to sign Jedvaj permanently, but Roma's €10 million asking price "is not realistic," per Bild (h/t Football Italia). This means Jedvaj could be one-and-done.
PhilippWollscheid has been loaned out to Mainz and Stoke City this season, so his future is up in the air.
KyriakosPapadopoulos, on loan from Schalke, has endured an injury-affected start to the season, featuring in 139Bundesliga minutes. His deep-seated fitness issues have hindered his career.
Reading between the lines, Voller alluded to Bayer Leverkusen manager Roger Schmidt, who was hired away from Red Bull Salzburg, having a significant input in Ramalho's signing.
"[Ramalho] won the Austrian league title with Roger Schmidt," Voller said, per Bayer04.de. "[Ramalho] already had two successful seasons with [Schmidt]."
The departure of Ramalho continues an emerging trend of Red Bull Salzburg—funded by Austrian energy drink billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz—losing key starters to clubs in Europe's elite leagues.
Unlike Kampl and Mane, Red Bull Salzburg are not financially compensated by Ramalho's exit after he exercised his Bosman right to a free transfer.
Relinquishing Florian Klein (Stuttgart; 2014) and Stefan Maierhofer (Koln; 2013) without a transfer fee is trivial, but Ramalho leaving for nothing could be a substantial financial regret for Red Bull Salzburg down the line.
When you realise that all the prestigious Campeonato Paulista clubs overlooked Ramalho, a local, you begin to understand why Red Bull Salzburg misprojected his upside.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcwIOZEXyG4
Luiz knows the feeling of being unwanted because he never made the grade at Sao Paulo, instead, using unfancied Esporte Clube Vitoria as a stepping stone to a €500,000 move to Benfica.
"For every person that gets a no, there's another person who's already had three no's, yet is still pursuing his dream," Luiz said, per Nike Football.
"I left home when I was fourteen years old to pursue an uncertain dream and fought very hard for it. I only saw my folks two and a half years later, but I knew I had to go through this hardship if someday I was to arrive where I wanted."
Instead of starring in Brazil's top flight, Ramalho played at Red Bull Brasil, a bottom-tier Brazilian startup club, where he was noticed by youth academy director Carlos Andrade.
"I have just returned from a trip to Austria where we transferred Andre Ramalho, a young Brazilian player, over to the Red Bull Salzburg academy," Andrade said, per Tim Sturtridge at RedBull.com. "We are all very interested to see how Andre develops his game in Europe. He is a skilful attacking midfielder who idolises Kaka."
Ramalho utilised his creativity, dribbling and flair—attributes he gained as a midfielder—to develop into a ball-playing centre-back.
This is the same evolution Luiz underwent at Vitoria, as explained by his coach at the time Joao Paulo Sampaio.
"The defenders at [Vitoria often] played in midfield, before shifting to centre-back," Sampaio said, per Jamie Jackson at The Guardian. "[Why?] They get more contact with the ball and a better understanding of space."
— FC Red Bull Salzburg (@RedBullSalzburg) July 19, 2013
A year and seven months ago, Ramalho was playing at FC Liefering—Red Bull Salzburg's feeder team—in a regional game against FC Wacker Innsbruck II while being watched by 200 people.
In a 10 month-period, Ramalho's stock jumped from €200,000 to €3 million, per Transfermarkt.de.
Red Bull Salzburg were behind the eight ball in renewing Ramalho's expiring contract.
Bayer Leverkusen said checkmate perhaps hoping one day Ramalho procures a Luiz-esque €49.5 million transfer fee.
Why Italians Should Seek Solace in Bayer Leverkusen's Giulio Donati
Oct 23, 2014
Bayer Leverkusen's Giulio Donati poses for a portrait photo for the new Bundesliga season 2014/15 in Leverkusen, Germany, Monday, Aug. 4, 2014.(AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Rather than cussing a 10-letter word beginning with "v" after a face-shaming UEFA Champions League Matchday for Italian football, a consolation for Italians is compatriot Giulio Donati.
As Leverkusen central attacking midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu glided into FC Zenit Saint Petersburg's defensive half, Donati burst down the right wing.
Receiving a pass from Calhanoglu, Donati struck the ball past Zenit goalkeeper Yuri Lodygin.
Talk about an unlikely situation: Italy's best player of Champions League Matchday 3 failed to make the grade at Inter Milan, now a UEFA Europa League calibre team, and is making a living playing football in the Bundesliga.
Bought in by Leverkusen to cover for the departed Daniel Carvajal, who was re-signed by Real Madrid, Donati has been largely underwhelming.
"We're convinced that Donati will slot in seamlessly at right-back," Leverkusen executive director Wolfgang Holzhauser said, per the Bundesliga's official website. "We've signed a young, aspiring player, who fits perfectly with the profile of Bayer Leverkusen."
Ranked as the 110th best player in the Bundesliga last season, per Kicker, Donati did not vindicate Holzhauser's vote of confidence.
League Only
Daniel Carvajal 12-13
Giulio Donati 13-14
Tackle Success %
78.6
63.5
Tackles Per Game
3.4
1.7
Tackles Per Foul
2.4
1.3
Interceptions Per Game
3.7
1.4
Assists
7
1
Key Passes Per Game
1.5
0.8
Passes Per Game
43.6
29.8
Pass Success %
79.8
73.5
Donati was beaten by Carvajal in every major attacking and defensive category when both their first seasons at Leverkusen were statistically compared.
Heading into the game against Zenit, Donati had not rectified bumbling into the back of Wolfsburg defensive midfielder Junior Malanda.
Seven minutes into the game against Wolfsburg, Donati conceded a penalty and had a red card brandished in front of his face by referee Deniz Aytekin—Leverkusen were beaten 4-1.
Given the first Fernando Torres-esque miss and the sequel, Malanda was grateful for Donati's idiocy.
That play factored into why utility player Roberto Hilbert and Tin Jedvaj—the latter on loan from Roma—have received more minutes at right-back than Donati this season.
"[Donati's] personal struggle in the Champions League is over," per Rheinische Post (h/t the Bundesliga's official website). "Against Zenit he enjoyed a surprise comeback."
This is why Donati's goal against Zenit could be a game-changer for his career, which fizzled in Italy.
"If [Serie A clubs] give the young foreign imports a chance, then why not a young Italian who has a silver medal in the European U21 Championship?" Donati said, per Tuttosport (h/t Football Italia). "I would've appreciated returning to Inter and playing in Serie A, but there were no concrete options for me in Italy."
Ignored by his homeland, Donati became an unlikely bright spot for Italian football in the last Champions League matchday.
