Erik ten Hag sacked by Bayer Leverkusen after just three games | OneFootball

Bayer Leverkusen have sacked Erik ten Hag after only three competitive games in charge.

The Dutchman was appointed in May to replace Xabi Alonso, but lasted less than a month of the new Bundesliga season.

Ten Hag signed a two-year contract worth £4.7 million per year, making him one of the league’s highest-paid managers.

His spell began with a 4-0 win over fourth-tier Sonnenhof Grossaspach in the DFB-Pokal. But back-to-back winless league games ended his tenure.

Leverkusen lost their opening Bundesliga fixture 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim.

They then surrendered a two-goal lead against ten-man Werder Bremen in a match that exposed deeper issues.

Players openly argued on the pitch over who would take a penalty, with captain Robert Andrich later admitting the team were ‘between a rock and a hard place’.

Ten Hag called the row between Exequiel Palacios and Patrik Schick ‘unacceptable’ and criticised his squad’s lack of fitness.

After the draw in Bremen, he said some players ‘weren’t ready’ and ‘didn’t function at all’ in the decisive stages of the game.

He added that his side needed more intensity and accountability to meet his standards. The club acted swiftly, announcing his dismissal on Monday morning.

Leverkusen confirmed their assistant coaches will take charge on an interim basis.

Managing director Simon Rolfes said the decision ‘was not easy’ but insisted ‘building a successful team with this set-up was not feasible’.

Chief executive officer Fernando Carro described the move as ‘painful’ but necessary to give the first team the ‘best possible conditions’.

Ten Hag is expected to receive a significant payout following his early dismissal, although the exact amount is undisclosed.

It marks the second time in under a year he has been sacked, following his dismissal from Manchester United last October.

United reportedly paid more than £10 million in compensation to Ten Hag and his staff after ending his three-year reign.

Ten Hag is reportedly ‘devastated’ by the latest setback despite the financial compensation.

Leverkusen’s decision also reflects the difficulty of replacing Alonso, who left for Real Madrid after leading the club to historic success.

A summer of player turnover has further complicated matters, leaving the squad unsettled and resistant to Ten Hag’s methods.