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<p>Leverkusen vs Dortmund</p>
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<img alt="After Alonso departure and Ten Hag disaster, Hjulmand is working miracles at Leverkusen"
src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/galerie/kasper-hjulmand-bayer-04-leverkusen-2025-imago1069563775-1764063165-183502.jpg"
title="After Alonso departure and Ten Hag disaster, Hjulmand is working miracles at Leverkusen" />
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<p><span>©IMAGO</span></p>
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Bayer Leverkusen's ascent as potential favorites heading into Saturday's Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund underscores the swift transformation the club has undergone under new head coach Kasper Hjulmand. While Niko Kovac's team has stumbled, dropping points in three of their last five league outings, Leverkusen has secured four wins, positioning themselves for a four-point advantage over the 2024 Champions League finalists. Hjulmand's influence has been a significant factor in this turnaround.
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Having just achieved a surprising 2-0 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday, Hjulmand boasts an impressive record of 10 wins, three draws, and only two losses in his first 15 games with Leverkusen. Consequently, the club has surged up the Bundesliga standings. As illustrated in the graphic below, only Bayern Munich has accumulated more points in the league since Hjulmand took over ahead of matchday three this season. This achievement is particularly commendable given the turmoil left by Erik Ten Hag, whom Hjulmand replaced after a dismal start to the campaign.
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<img alt="Bundesliga table" height="629" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/newsansicht/hjulmand-bundi-table-1764342852-183792.png?lm=1764342863" title="Bundesliga table" width="503" />
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During the summer transfer window, Leverkusen faced an unprecedented wave of interest in their key players, with seven senior athletes departing for nearly €230 million—an eye-catching figure highlighted by Florian Wirtz's record-breaking €125 million transfer to Liverpool. In response to this talent exodus, the club swiftly reinvested €198 million to acquire 14 new players and initially brought in Ten Hag to succeed Xabi Alonso. Unfortunately, this move didn't yield the desired results.
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Ten Hag's immediate attempt to enforce his traditional 4-3-3 system with a vastly restructured squad proved ineffective. Leverkusen suffered a defeat in their opening match against Hoffenheim and squandered a 3-1 lead against Werder Bremen, ending the contest in a 3-3 draw. Shortly thereafter, Ten Hag was dismissed, and Hjulmand was enlisted to rectify the situation.
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Unlike his predecessor, Hjulmand has demonstrated a flexible approach to tactics. He rectified Leverkusen's challenges by reintegrating strategies that had previously succeeded under Alonso. The team returned to a back three formation, Alejandro Grimaldo was reinstated as a left wing-back, Aleix García stepped into a key midfield role after Granit Xhaka's departure, and Patrik Schick resumed his position as the focal point of the attack.
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Hjulmand's adaptability has facilitated the integration of both the key players he inherited and the exciting young talents brought in during the summer. Goalkeeper Mark Flekken has settled in well, the defense has been reinforced with central defenders Jarell Quansah and Loïc Badé, while young talents like Ernest Poku, Christian Kofane, Ibrahim Maza, and Malik Tillman have contributed to offsetting the loss of Wirtz and others.
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While the question of whether Leverkusen will contend for another league title in the near future remains open, Hjulmand has successfully stabilized the team following Ten Hag’s tumultuous tenure and guided the club back toward the summit of the Bundesliga. With a squad brimming with promising talents, Leverkusen, under Hjulmand's leadership, could well surprise many in Germany and perhaps achieve unexpected results in the Champions League as the season unfolds.
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