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‘The Factory’ reset by sacking Ten Hag
The Mercury
|September 02, 2025
BAYER Leverkusen have sacked man- ager Erik ten Hag after just two Bun- desliga matches in charge, the club announced yesterday.
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BAYER Leverkusen have sacked manager Erik ten Hag after just two Bundesliga matches in charge, the club announced yesterday.
Fired by Manchester United last October, Ten Hag signed a contract until 2027 in May, succeeding Xabi Alonso, who moved to Real Madrid. However, the Dutchman faced the challenge of a squad depleted by the sale of several key players from the Bundesliga-winning 2023-24 side, and his new team struggled in the opening games of the season.
“This decision was not easy for us. Nobody wanted to take this step,” sporting director Simon Rolfes said, in a statement. “The past few weeks have shown that the steps to build a new and successful team have not been effective”
Club CEO Fernando Carro described the decision as “painful, but necessary.”
The 55-year-old now holds the unwanted record for the shortest tenure of a coach at Leverkusen, surpassing the previous mark of five matches before dismissal.
This story is from the September 02, 2025 edition of The Mercury.
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