Bayer Leverkusen is back in the Champions League under coach Gerardo Seoane. Qualification for the premier class is again the club’s goal – but could it be enough for more?
That’s how last season went
In contrast to the penultimate season, in which Bayer “only” qualified for the Europa League as sixth in the table, Leverkusen recently secured participation in the Champions League again. In the end, Bayern and BVB were third in the table ahead of the Rhinelanders, but they ended up ahead of their third permanent rival from Leipzig.
The Bayer team, often given the label “highly talented but too inconsistent”, mostly offered spectacular high-speedSoccer at a constant level and only had to accept defeats against Dortmund, Bayern, Frankfurt, Wolfsburg and Freiburg in the first half of the season. The only fly in the ointment: the team lost to second division club Karlsruher SC in the second round of the DFB Cup (1-2).
Especially in the second half of the season, Bayer was mostly convincing and only conceded three defeats – despite the strain of the European Cup. On matchday 30, Leverkusen lost 1-0 to their rivals Leipzig and had to let them pass, but with a final spurt of four wins in a row Bayer relegated the Saxons to fourth place.
There was also a drop of bitterness in the second half of the season: After two close defeats against Atalanta Bergamo, Leverkusen were already in the round of 16 of the Europa League.
Who is coming, who is going?
Leverkusen reported the most important personal details in the category “Who can’t go?”. Because with the early contract extensions with young star Florian Wirtz (ten competitive goals/14 assists) and striker Patrik Schick (24 goals/five assists) until 2027, Bayer sent important signals to the competition. The courted Moussa Diaby had recently announced that he wanted to stay in Leverkusen.
Adam Hlozek (front) in training.
With the 19-year-old talent Adam Hlozek, for whom Bayer transferred 20 million euros to Sparta Prague according to media reports, the club once again strengthened its offensive department. He is planned as a hanging striker or winger.
In addition, Leverkusen signed professional contracts for the two U19 defenders Joshua Eze and Sadik Fofana. Fofana was loaned to Nuremberg, and a loan deal is also planned for Eze. Keeper Lennart Grill is on loan for Union Berlin.
The other departures are also manageable for Leverkusen. Center forward Lucas Alario switched to Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt, right-back Mitchell Weiser ultimately joined newly promoted Bremen. Julian Baumgartlinger did not receive a new contract. The recently awarded Nadiem Amiri and Joel Pohjanpalo as well as talent Iker Bravo are other candidates for a change of club.
The trainer
Gerardo Seoane with his assistant trainer Patrick Schnarwiler (left) and Alberto Encinas.
Gerardo Seoane was the first Bayer coach to “survive” a full season on the sidelines since Roger Schmidt was fired in 2017. Among other things, due to the best second half of the season for Leverkusen in 20 years, the Swiss brought the club into third place and thus back into the Champions League.
Seoane has improved the balance between offense and defence, which has been one of the Rhinelanders’ biggest problems in recent years.
“He obviously found the perfect game system for us,” says captain Lukas Hradecky. “We want to play entertainingly and score goals, that’s what sets us apart. But you don’t always have to play well, you have to play effectively. The coach brings these facets together.”
Seoane is considered a meticulous worker with a clear game philosophy: constantly putting the opponent under pressure, a lot of dynamism going forward and quick attacks after winning the ball. But Seoane doesn’t want to enforce his approach with a crowbar and has repeatedly demonstrated tactical flexibility. In addition, the Bayer team seems more stable after conceding a goal.
Leverkusen’s managing director Fernando Carro praised the 43-year-old. “We are extremely happy with Gerardo Seoane. He has many skills that we were looking for. Skills that have helped the team a lot, even and especially in difficult phases,” said Carro. “His high standards and his expectations of maximum professionalism in all areas coincide with mine.”
expectations for the season
For Leverkusen it will again primarily be about qualifying for the premier class. As in previous years, Bayern Munich will start the season as the favorites for the title, while Leverkusen, along with Dortmund and Leipzig, are, as usual, one of Bayern’s hunters.
The top performers were kept, the team was strengthened in a targeted manner, the team is well-rehearsed, the squad is probably broad enough. So far, Seoane has constantly developed the team. “It’s clear that we also believe in our abilities, that we’re ambitious. That’s how we start the championship,” says Seoane.
But whether that will be enough to break Bayern’s title dominance is questionable. “At some point it will crumble, at some point in the next few years it will collapse,” BVB boss Watzke had recently predicted with a view to the series champion Munich. If that were to happen, Leverkusen would be one of the candidates who could play for the title – if.
The Werkself had to put up with a first setback. In the first round of the DFB Cup, Bayer 04 lost 4-3 at third division club SV Elversberg and showed blatant weaknesses, especially defensively.
