Bayer 04 Leverkusen has parted ways with head coach Erik Ten Hag just two Bundesliga matches into the season.
Ten Hag, who replaced Xabi Alonso at the end of last season, becomes the third former Manchester United manager to be sacked within a span of five days, following the departures of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer from Besiktas and Jose Mourinho from Fenerbahce.
The club announced that training duties will be temporarily handled by the assistant coaching staff as they seek a new manager.
Ten Hag’s tenure at Leverkusen was marred by a poor start, including a 2-1 home loss to Hoffenheim and a 3-3 draw against Werder Bremen, where they squandered a 3-1 lead despite Bremen playing with ten men.
Reports indicated increasing tensions between Ten Hag and the club’s management, with no public backing from Leverkusen’s sporting director, Simon Rolfes, after recent results.
The club’s decision brings an early end to Ten Hag’s time at Leverkusen, which began this summer after being dismissed by Manchester United in October 2024. At Man United, he won the FA Cup and League Cup but was let go after a poor run of form.
Leverkusen had enjoyed their most successful period before Ten Hag’s arrival, including an unbeaten domestic double in 2023/24.
However, the club underwent a major squad overhaul this summer, selling key players including Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Granit Xhaka, which impacted team stability.
The club has not named a replacement yet, leaving assistant coaches in temporary charge. This sacking marks the fastest dismissal of a coach in Bundesliga history, after just two league matches.
