Sacked: Bayer Leverkusen, Ten Hag part ways after two games in charge

Erik ten Hag has lost his job as Bayer Leverkusen’s manager after only two league matches in charge. The decision was announced on Monday, September 1, 2025, and comes after a poor start to the new Bundesliga season.

The Dutch coach was dismissed following his team’s collapse against Werder Bremen last weekend. Leverkusen were leading 3-1 against a Bremen side that had only 10 players on the field, but they failed to secure the victory and allowed Bremen to fight back, ending the game in a 3-3 draw.

According to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the decision was made by the club’s top officials on Monday morning. Ten Hag was informed immediately. Romano wrote on X: “Erik ten Hag has just been SACKED by Bayer Leverkusen. Decision made by the club’s hierarchy this morning and manager informed right now.”

Ten Hag joined Leverkusen in the summer after being dismissed by Manchester United in November 2024. His time in Germany has now ended almost as quickly as it began, lasting less than a month.

The sacking highlights the pressure and high expectations at Bayer Leverkusen, a club with a strong tradition in German football. Having previously won the Bundesliga and competed regularly in European tournaments, the team’s management is eager to avoid a poor season start.

With Ten Hag gone, attention now turns to who will replace him. Reports suggest the club may look internally for a short-term solution or move quickly to appoint an experienced coach who can steady the team before the season slips away.

This marks another difficult chapter in Ten Hag’s coaching career, following his troubled final year at Manchester United and now a brief and unsuccessful stint in the Bundesliga.