Erik ten Hag SACKED by Bayer Leverkusen after just two Bundesliga games as ex-Man Utd boss pays ultimate price for shocking collapse against ten-man Werder Bremen

Following Leverkusen's 3-3 draw against a 10-man Werder Bremen at the weekend, the club hierarchy decided to part ways with their head coach Ten Hag. The Dutchman lost his first game in charge against Hoffenheim and Leverkusen failed to bounce back away at Bremen, leaving his position untenable in the eyes of the senior officials at Bay Arena.

Leverkusen released an official statement to confirm the manager's departure, which read: "Bayer 04 Leverkusen has parted ways with head coach Erik ten Hag with immediate effect. Training will be taken over by the assistant coaching staff for the time being."

Sky Sports' Florian Plettenberg further reported that the Leverkusen management took the decision on Monday morning and informed Ten Hag, which delayed the team's training session. Ten Hag did kick off the new season with a 4-0 win over SG in the DFB Pokal first round, but a poor start in the Bundesliga put Ten Hag under extreme pressure, just two months after his initial arrival as Xabi Alonso's replacement.

Leverkusen underwent a major squad overhaul in the summer window, losing five pillars of their 2023-24 title-winning side in the form of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Granit Xhaka, Lukas Hradecky, and Jonathan Tah.

The German side will now have time to find Ten Hag's successor during the international break, with a return to Bundesliga action pencilled in on September 12 against Eintracht Frankfurt.