Erik ten Hag asserts he has no magical solutions for Bayer Leverkusen after key player departures and a loss to Hoffenheim. He acknowledges the need for improvement while integrating 15 new players. New signing Lucas Vazquez spoke positively about Leverkusen based on advice from former players. The upcoming match against Werder Bremen features players to watch like Justin Njinmah and Alex Grimaldo. Despite being favored, Leverkusen aims to break their winless streak, while Bremen seeks to capitalize on their home form. Opta’s win probability favors Leverkusen.
Erik ten Hag has firmly stated that he possesses no magical solution to instantly transform Bayer Leverkusen following a significant period of player departures. The Dutch manager's remarks come after Leverkusen's 2-1 defeat to Hoffenheim in their opening match of the 2025-26 Bundesliga campaign, where Tim Lemperle's 52nd-minute goal secured the win for Hoffenheim. Ten Hag acknowledged the need for improvement but cautioned against expecting immediate miracles, given the extensive changes within the squad over the past few months.
The club has seen a considerable exodus of key players, including the departure of former manager Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid. Additionally, influential players such as Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Amine Adli, Jonathan Tah, and Granit Xhaka have all left Leverkusen. Furthermore, Piero Hincapie is reportedly close to a move to Arsenal, potentially finalized before Leverkusen's upcoming match against Werder Bremen this Saturday. The article also contains ad content. Such heavy loss of player talent suggests a team in transition.
"Pressure is always there, and we must win. That's clear," Ten Hag stated during a press conference. "I am no Harry Potter. We will work to take a step forward." He emphasized the importance of addressing the issues identified in the defeat and translating those corrections onto the field. "We know the reasons [for the Hoffenheim defeat]. We have corrected it and need to apply it now. We must always win. We have to win every game and find a way to do it. We did it well a few times in the pre-season, but not well last week."
Leverkusen has actively sought to mitigate the impact of these departures by bringing in 15 new players to bolster Ten Hag's squad. The manager also hinted at the possibility of further additions in the coming days. "Let us wait," Ten Hag added. "In the final days or hours, anything can happen. There are always surprises. This has been a very busy transfer window. One or two things could still happen on the weekend for us and for the whole transfer market. On Tuesday we will know what it will look like."
One notable acquisition for Leverkusen is the experienced Lucas Vazquez, who arrived from Real Madrid after his contract expired in July. Vazquez enjoyed a successful 10-year spell with Madrid, winning an impressive 23 trophies, including four LaLiga titles and five Champions League crowns. He made 402 appearances for Los Blancos in all competitions, contributing 38 goals and 59 assists before his departure following their Club World Cup campaign.
Vazquez shared that he had positive discussions with former Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso regarding his time in Germany. He also spoke with Dani Carvajal, who spent a season at Leverkusen, and Toni Kroos, who gained seven years of Bundesliga experience with Bayern Munich. "They told me a lot of positive things about Bayer 04, advised me to make the move and said that the atmosphere at the club is very friendly," Vazquez explained. "Therefore, it was an option I definitely wanted to take advantage of. What I've seen so far definitely confirms those thoughts. Everybody’s told me how great it is to live here, that it’s a good place for me and my family and that the people here are very respectful. Therefore, I’m already looking forward to getting to know the German culture. I think it will be a great adventure here in Germany."
Looking ahead to their match against Werder Bremen, key players to watch include Justin Njinmah for Werder Bremen and Alex Grimaldo for Bayer Leverkusen. Njinmah scored his 10th Bundesliga goal in Bremen's opening-day defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt and aims to score in consecutive top-flight matches for the first time. He has a history of success against Leverkusen, scoring in their previous encounter. Grimaldo, despite the departures of other top performers, remains a key figure for Leverkusen. He provided the assist for Jarell Quansah's opening goal in their defeat to Hoffenheim, marking his 21st assist for the club in the Bundesliga since his debut in August 2023.
Despite being favored in Opta's pre-match simulations, Leverkusen enters the match winless in their last four Bundesliga matches, dating back to last season. They have only started with two defeats once in the last six Bundesliga seasons. However, Leverkusen boasts an impressive away record, remaining unbeaten in 34 away Bundesliga matches, the longest such streak in Bundesliga history. They last lost in Bremen nearly nine years ago and have been undefeated in their last seven top-flight matches there since then. Werder Bremen, meanwhile, has won only one of their last 10 Bundesliga matches against Leverkusen. The article contains key statistics regarding both teams. Horst Steffen’s side have also not lost any of their last four Bundesliga home games (W2 D2) and have kept a clean sheet in all of them (currently the longest such streak in the league) – five consecutive Bundesliga home games without conceding a goal would equal their club record, last achieved by the Bremen team from February to April 1993.
According to Opta's win probability, Werder Bremen has a 27.9% chance of winning, a draw is at 24.6%, and Bayer Leverkusen has a 47.5% chance of securing the victory.