Bayer Leverkusen kicked off the post-Erik ten Hag era with a dramatic 3-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt despite finishing the match with only nine men.
New coach Kasper Hjulmand, appointed earlier this month after Ten Hag’s dismissal, saw his side take control at the BayArena through goals from Alejandro Grimaldo and Patrik Schick.
Frankfurt pulled one back through Can Uzun before Robert Andrich and Equi Fernandez were sent off, but Leverkusen still sealed their first Bundesliga victory of the season when Grimaldo struck again late on.
It was a stark contrast to the chaos of the previous week and immediately lifted the club off the bottom of the table, giving supporters hope that Hjulmand can steady the ship after a turbulent summer.
Ten Hag, 55, had been brought in from the wilderness in May to replace Real Madrid-bound Xabi Alonso but was sacked earlier this month after just three games in charge.
His dismissal, only 62 days after he officially started the role, is one of the quickest in Bundesliga history.
Bayer Leverkusen kicked off the post-Erik ten Hag era with a dramatic 3-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt
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Ten Hag, 55, had been brought in from the wilderness in May to replace Real Madrid-bound Xabi Alonso but was sacked earlier this month after just three games in charge
The Dutchman’s reign quickly descended into disarray. After losing 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim on the opening day and throwing away a 3-1 lead at Werder Bremen to draw 3-3 with 10 men, the club’s patience snapped.
He publicly clashed with the board over transfers, including Granit Xhaka’s exit, and alienated senior figures inside the dressing room.
Local reports described players as ‘bemused’ by his training sessions, which placed an unusual emphasis on press-ups and fitness drills over tactics, and claimed he even opted not to deliver a pre-match speech before the opener at the BayArena.
Staff at the club were said to be questioning whether Ten Hag was the worst manager Leverkusen had had in two decades.
The atmosphere inside the training ground deteriorated rapidly, with players unsure of his instructions and staff frustrated by his approach. That sense of drift was reflected on the pitch as points were dropped and discipline faltered.
In a statement released through his agency SEG, Ten Hag called his sacking ‘unprecedented’ and accused the club of not giving him ‘the time and trust’ to rebuild after a summer of heavy departures.
Club chiefs insisted the change was necessary, with managing director Simon Rolfes saying ‘building a new and successful team with this setup is not feasible’.
Ten Hag had been out of work for seven months after being sacked by Manchester United last October a matter of months after winning the FA Cup, having secured the Carabao Cup and a fourth-place finish in his debut campaign at Old Trafford.
Leverkusen now turn their attention to their midweek trip to Copenhagen in the Champions League before welcoming Borussia Monchengladbach.
In a dismal week for former United bosses, he became the third ex-Red Devils coach to lose his job after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Besiktas and Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce.
Leverkusen now turn their attention to their midweek trip to Copenhagen in the Champions League before welcoming Borussia Monchengladbach as they look to build on Hjulmand’s debut win.
