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Bayer has to sell off assets

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The pharmaceutical company Bayer owns soccer powerhouse Bayer Leverkusen in Leverkusen, Germany.  In the previous two generations, the club won the UEFA Cup in 1988 and lost in the Champions League final in 2003.  This past season, Bayer Leverkusen was back near the top, but ended up in 5th place in the Bundesliga.  That place in the standings meant that Leverkusen qualified for the UEFA Europa League instead of the UEFA Champions League.

Although Bayer has lost billions over the past two seasons for buying Monsanto, Bayer was looking to recoup some of their funds through Bayer Leverkusen, but Leverkusen fell short of qualifying for the Champions League.  The Champions League is big money as qualifying for the Champions League garners 15.25 million euros for a team.

Since Bayer does not have the extra funds to keep the team intact, Leverkusen had to let two of their best players go.  Midfielder Kai Havertz is about to sign with Chelsea on a 90 million euro contract.  Havertz is already a player that a team can build its franchise around even though he is 21 years old.  Attacker Kevin Holland is reportedly going to sign with Monaco in the range between 15 million and 25 million euros.  Both players have scored ten or more goals for two straight seasons.

Leverkusen was on the precipice to becoming a European soccer power once again.  However, they will experience a decade of mediocrity because Bayer bought Monsanto.

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Written by ahol888

Coolest dwarf in the world. Expert on the topic of mediocrity.

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  1. I’m afraid Bayer Leverkusen will not become a European soccer powerhouse, very soon but they will remain a respectable team, capable of qualifying for European competitions every year. Getting past the Champions League group stage or even winning the Europa League are achievements within their reach, but I don’t see them capable of repeating that outstanding 2002 season when they reached the Champions League final and they missed the chance of winning their first Bundesliga title in the last round.

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      • the question is how are they allowed to sell off assets and will they be allowed to maintain ownership of the patents.

        bankruptcy is not a bad thing, many companies survive easily, if they own their patents. The real value of Bayer isn’t a soccer team or the Monstanto roundup debacle. The real value is all those patents.

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          • I will give you an it depends on Bayer.

            1. the value of their patents (I honestly don’t know which ones they own so i don’t know)
            2. the value of the sum total of their assets
            3. how good their attorneys are

            USG (based in Chicago) is still in business. They were the largest US producer of the Asbestos wall and ceiling tiles.

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