Bayer Leverkusen got their Bundesliga season back on track with a commanding 4-0 home win over Union Berlin on September 5, a result that will ease some of the pressure that had been building after a shocking opening-day 2-3 defeat to promoted Elversberg. That loss set an alarming tone for Carles Martinez's first competitive campaign in charge, and drew public criticism from former Leverkusen player Toni Kroos, who described the club's summer as a "strange transfer window" and questioned whether they could finish in the top five.

The squad overhaul is at the heart of the uncertainty. Piero Hincapie and Alejandro Grimaldo have both departed, while Exequiel Palacios was sold to Ipswich Town. The treatment of Robert Andrich has drawn particular attention. Martinez stripped the 31-year-old of the captaincy, handed the armband to Edmond Tapsoba, and publicly stated he was not speaking with Andrich. RB Leipzig have been linked with a move, as reported by Sky, though no formal approach had been made before the transfer window closed.

Martinez does appear to be building around new faces. Moussa Diaby has returned to the squad, and Malik Tillman, who rejected a reported 45 million euro move to Brighton, is being repositioned under the new coach after a difficult debut season. Jonas Hofmann, left out of the Europa League squad, is now linked with a move to Saudi Arabia's Al-Shabab, according to Bild. Leverkusen sit fifth in the Bundesliga with three points from two games. Their next test comes away at Augsburg on September 12.