Bayer Leverkusen have officially dismissed manager Erik Ten Hag after just two Bundesliga games in charge, marking one of the shortest managerial reigns in league history.
The 55-year-old Dutchman, who was fired by Manchester United in October 2024, had only recently taken over from Xabi Alonso, who left to become head coach at Real Madrid.
Leverkusen’s Sporting Director Simon Rolfes admitted the decision was difficult:
“This decision was not easy for us. Nobody wanted to take this step. The past few weeks have shown that the steps to build a new and successful team have not been effective.”
Club CEO Fernando Carro echoed the sentiment, calling the decision “painful, but necessary.”
A Short, Turbulent Spell
Ten Hag was appointed on July 1, 2025, but his tenure quickly unraveled. His first match ended in a humiliating 5-1 defeat to Flamengo’s under-20s in a preseason friendly. A German Cup win over Sonnenhof Grossaspach provided brief relief, but Bundesliga struggles sealed his fate.
Leverkusen blew leads in both league games, losing 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim and drawing 3-3 against a 10-man Werder Bremen despite being ahead 2-0 and 3-1.
This poor start made Ten Hag the fastest coach ever to be fired in the Bundesliga, breaking the previous record of five matches.
Legacy and Challenges
Ten Hag inherited a squad in transition after Leverkusen’s historic unbeaten double-winning season in 2023-24, where they lifted their first-ever Bundesliga title and German Cup. However, several key players, including Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka, Jonathan Tah, Jeremie Frimpong, Amine Adli, and Lukas Hradecky, left in the summer, forcing a rebuild.
Despite heavy investment of over €102 million on young stars like Malik Tillman, Jarell Quansah, and Eliesse Ben Seghir, the team failed to find balance under Ten Hag’s leadership.
For now, assistant coaches will oversee training while the club searches for a permanent replacement.
