Bayer Leverkusen fired their manager, Erik ten Hag, following just two Bundesliga games in charge, the German football club announced on their website. This comes after the club's 3-3 draw against Werder Bremen on August 30, at Weser Stadium.
'Painful' Dismissal
“This decision was not an easy one for us. Nobody wanted to take this step. However, the past few weeks have shown that building a new and successful team with this setup is not feasible,” Leverkusen Sporting Director Simon Rolfes said in a statement.
He said the move was crucial for the maintenance of the team's “quality”.
Before joining Bayer Leverkusen on May 26, 2025, ten Hag served as the head coach at Manchester United until his dismissal in October last year. As he replaced former head coach Xabi Alonso at Leverkusen, there were high hopes about Hag's arrival in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia.
Ten Hag had been given the responsibility to rebuild Bayer Leverkusen after it lost key players like Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka, Jonathan Tah, and Jeremie Frimpong, among others.
“A parting of ways at this early stage of the season is painful, but we felt it was necessary,” said the club's CEO, Fernando Carro, as he reacted to Hag's departure.
Before ten Hag's dismissal, the German club had lost their opening Bundesliga game 2-1 to Hoffenheim on August 23. They also had a 3-3 draw against a 10-man Werder Bremen on August 30.
The club's sporting director and CEO were not satisfied with Bayer Leverkusen's performance under Erik ten Hag.
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