Bayer Leverkusen's New Dawn with Coach Kasper Hjulmand

Kasper Hjulmand, newly appointed coach of Bayer Leverkusen, faces challenges after the team's summer overhaul. Despite a rocky Bundesliga start, Hjulmand is optimistic about the squad's quality. The departure of key players presents hurdles as he aims to replicate the prior successes under Xabi Alonso.

LEVERKUSEN, Germany—Bayer Leverkusen's freshly appointed coach Kasper Hjulmand remains confident in his squad's potential, despite a challenging start to the Bundesliga season following a major team overhaul. The former Denmark manager, signed on a two-year contract, heralds from replacing Erik ten Hag earlier this week.

The team's struggle was apparent after failing to secure a league win so far. With Eintracht Frankfurt looming on Friday's fixture list, Hjulmand acknowledged the tough task ahead. "In football, processes are crucial—and crafting them takes daily work," Hjulmand expressed during a press briefing.

Post a summer exodus, including notable players like Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, Leverkusen focused on rebuilding their squad with a €170 million investment, introducing talents such as Ibrahim Maza and Malik Tillman. Hjulmand aims to blend these changes into a cohesive unit, eyes set on echoing former coach Xabi Alonso's past triumphs.

(With inputs from agencies.)