Revamped Leverkusen prepares for unknown journey

The 2023-24 Bundesliga champion Bayer Leverkusen is gearing up for a full reorganization due to the departure of coach Xabi Alonso, along with Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Jonathan Tah.

The journey into the unknown is guided by 55-year-old coach Erik ten Hag, who is relishing a second top-level chance after his dismissal from Manchester United in 2024.

Florian Wirtz (L) of Bayer 04 Leverkusen vies with Ozan Kabak of TSG Hoffenheim during the first division of Bundesliga match in Leverkusen, Germany, March 30, 2024. (Photo by Joachim Bywaletz/Xinhua)

The team's pre-season plans reinforce the idea of a complete restart, including its unusual trip to Brazil from July 14 to 24 where it will visit the training ground of Flamengo.

"You can't sail on yesterday's wind," said Ten Hag. "We start from zero and have to readjust our compass."

Sporting director Simon Rolfes said the club's goals include finishing in the top four in Germany and the top 16 in Europe.

"In these spheres, you are inevitably a candidate for winning silverware," he stated.

With 150 million euros (about 176 million U.S. dollars) earned from Wirtz's transfer, Leverkusen has signed Jarell Quansah, Malik Tillman, Ibrahim Maza, Abdoulaye Faye and Mark Flekken.

The Brazil trip is said to create an inspiring atmosphere far away from local concerns about the future and display the club's intention to strengthen ties to South America.

"If you want, ties to South America have been growing over the past decades as we had several players from there in our shirt," said Rolfes.

While Ten Hag emphasizes that "everyone has to keep it as a pleasant memory to be ready for a new start," the team is already ahead with tactical changes, as the new coach seems to prefer a back four.

After the departure of Alonso, the team adopted a different model as Ten Hag is said to rely on strict discipline.

Like his predecessor, Ten Hag favors a dominant playing style centered on a high level of ball possession.

He discussed a "perfect foundation" established by Alonso. "It's on us to rely on these pillars and, at the same time, create something new."