Erik ten Hag Sacked by Bayer Leverkusen After Just Two Matches in Charge

Erik ten Hag has lost his job at Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen have sacked Erik ten Hag only two league matches into his managerial comeback, ending a turbulent and short-lived spell in charge of the Bundesliga champions of 2023-24. The former Manchester United head coach, who left Old Trafford last October, was dismissed on Monday morning after the club concluded he could neither sustain the legacy of his predecessor Xabi Alonso nor manage the extensive squad rebuild that followed a mass summer exodus of key players.

Leverkusen’s poor start to the season proved decisive. They opened with a defeat to Hoffenheim and then squandered a 3-1 lead against 10-man Werder Bremen, conceding a 94th-minute equalizer to draw 3-3. The collapse drew sharp criticism from club captain Robert Andrich, who compared the performance to the infamous “Neverkusen” days of old when the club had a reputation for late-game collapses, rather than Alonso’s era of resilience that earned the nickname “Laterkusen.”

Andrich was exasperated by the lack of unity on the pitch and pointed to an embarrassing dispute during the Bremen match when Patrik Schick and Exequiel Palacios argued over who should take a penalty. The argument delayed play and forced Andrich to intervene, ultimately choosing Schick to take and convert the spot-kick. Ten Hag called the squabble “unacceptable,” but Andrich said the scene only emboldened Bremen, who fought back despite being reduced to ten men.

Erik ten Hag has been sacked by Bayer Leverkusen

The penalty row has since become symbolic of Ten Hag’s waning authority, a stark contrast to the command Alonso held after delivering Leverkusen’s first Bundesliga title, two domestic trophies, and a Europa League final in just two seasons. Ten Hag’s inability to impose order so early in the campaign convinced club executives they had to act swiftly.

Leverkusen’s challenge this season has been compounded by their “XXL Upheaval”, a summer transfer window that saw the squad dismantled. Among the major departures were veteran goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, defenders Jonathan Tah (to Bayern Munich) and Piero Hincapié (to Arsenal), midfield leader Granit Xhaka (to Sunderland), winger Amine Adli (to Bournemouth), and the star duo Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong (to Liverpool), who together contributed 47 goals and 49 assists across the last two seasons.

Solskjaer was sacked by Besiktas earlier in the week

Although Ten Hag anticipated some exits, he was assured that significant reinvestment would follow from more than €270 million in transfer income. Sporting director Simon Rolfes emphasized that Leverkusen was evolving into a club where elite teams such as Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Arsenal now turn for ready-made stars, effectively branding Leverkusen as the new Borussia Dortmund-style talent incubator. The expectation was that Ten Hag, with his experience at Ajax and reputation for developing young players, could keep the team competitive in the Bundesliga and Champions League despite the turnover.

Instead, two matches without a win and growing player discord ended the experiment prematurely. The club confirmed that a new head coach will be appointed within the next two weeks. For Ten Hag, whose time at Manchester United was already marked by difficulties, his latest dismissal underscores the growing perception that former Old Trafford managers—from José Mourinho to Ole Gunnar Solskjær—carry the burden of a job that often tarnishes reputations rather than enhances them.