Bayer Leverkusen sack Erik ten Hag after just three matches in charge, ending his brief spell following a poor start to the 2025-26 Bundesliga season. The Dutchman signed a two-year deal in May to replace Xabi Alonso, who left for Real Madrid after guiding Leverkusen to the 2024 Bundesliga title.
Leverkusen’s campaign began with a win over fourth-tier SG Sonnenhof in the DFB-Pokal. However, they lost their Bundesliga opener to TSG Hoffenheim and then drew 3-3 with Werder Bremen. In that game, they squandered a two-goal lead, which intensified the pressure on Ten Hag. Afterward, captain Robert Andrich accused teammates of selfish play and said the squad lacked unity.
The decision came from the shareholders’ committee and Bayer’s management. “This decision was not an easy one for us. Nobody wanted to take this step,” said Simon Rolfes, managing director for sport. “The past few weeks have shown that building a successful team with this setup is not feasible.” CEO Fernando Carro called the parting “painful” but insisted it was required to keep the club’s goals alive.
Ten Hag inherited a squad in flux. Key stars such as Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, Amine Adli, Odilon Kossounou, Granit Xhaka, Lukas Hradecky, and Jonathan Tah all left in the summer. The club spent around €170 million on new players, including Malik Tillman, Jarell Quansah, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Loïc Badé, Ibrahim Maza, Mark Flekken, and Ernest Poku. Despite the investment, Ten Hag’s conservative approach clashed with the squad and results failed to improve.
The Bayer Leverkusen sack Erik ten Hag decision reflects the urgency of a club that recently tasted glory. Under Alonso, Leverkusen played attacking football and won the Bundesliga. Now, they face the challenge of restoring momentum under a new coach.
Leverkusen’s management will move quickly to appoint a successor capable of uniting the squad and reviving their attacking style. The early dismissal underlines how expectations remain sky-high in modern football, especially for clubs that achieved recent success.
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