Leverkusen lost their opening league game 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim put ten Hag immediately under pressure, and Saturday’s 3-3 draw against 10-men Bremen brought an end to his short reign at the club.
“This decision was not an easy one for us. Nobody wanted to take this step,” Leverkusen Sporting Director Simon Rolfes said in a statement.
“However, the past few weeks have shown that building a new and successful team with this set-up is not feasible.”
Ten Hag, who had been out of management since being sacked by Manchester United in October, replaced Xabi Alonso in May, after the Spaniard left to take over at Real Madrid.
Leverkusen finished second in the league last season, after Alonso had led them to the double in the 2023-24 campaign where they lifted their first Bundesliga title without losing a game.
Ten Hag’s task was made more difficult by the close-season departures of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Amine Adli, Jonathan Tah and Granit Xhaka, among others.
His Leverkusen career began with a 4-0 win over fourth-tier side Sonnenhof Grossaspach in the German Cup first round but, with the club already five points off leaders Bayern Munich, and a Champions League campaign on the horizon, the Dutchman has already run out of time.
“A parting of ways at this early stage of the season is painful, but we felt it was necessary,” Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro said.
The 55-year-old had his most successful spell in charge at Ajax Amsterdam, winning three league titles, and also won the FA Cup and League Cup at Manchester United where he was sacked with the club 14th in the Premier League standings. (Reuters)
