Football/ Bayer Leverkusen sacks Ten Hag after just two Games; Xavi emerges as top target
In a stunning and abrupt decision, Bayer Leverkusen has sacked head coach Erik ten Hag after just two competitive matches in charge. The Dutchman, who was officially appointed on May 26th to replace the departed Xabi Alonso, was dismissed following a preseason defeat and an opening Bundesliga run of a loss to Hoffenheim and a draw with Werder Bremen.
Ten Hag expressed his shock and disappointment in a public statement, calling the decision “unprecedented.”
He argued that building a new team after the sale of key players is a delicate process requiring time and trust, which the club’s leadership was unwilling to grant.
The club’s sporting director, Simon Rolfes, defended the radical move, stating that after analyzing preseason and the first matches, they felt things were “heading in the wrong direction.”
Convinced it would not work out, the board decided to act early during the international break rather than let the situation deteriorate further.
According to reports from Sky Sports, Leverkusen has already identified its primary target to fill the vacancy: former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernández.
The club is said to have initiated talks with the Spaniard, though ex-Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzić is also a candidate. An appointment is expected by the end of the week.
