Bundesliga briefing: Leverkusen and Ten Hag concerns, a VAR oddity and a fabulous tifo

The Bundesliga has launched a weekly column covering on-pitch stories and broader aspects of German football, including fan culture and governance. On the opening matchday, Bayern Munich defeated RB Leipzig 6-0, Borussia Dortmund drew 3-3 with St. Pauli after surrendering a late lead, and Köln marked their top-flight return with a 90th-minute winning goal against Mainz.

Bayer Leverkusen, however, suffered a disappointing 2-1 loss to Hoffenheim in Erik ten Hag’s competitive debut as coach. Despite Jarell Quansah scoring on his debut after transferring from Liverpool, Leverkusen struggled creatively, generating only 0.89 expected goals, and appeared defensively vulnerable.

Several factors contributed to the defeat, including the recent sales of key players Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, and Ten Hag’s newness to the role. New signings Malik Tillman and Loïc Badé are expected to bolster the squad but were not fully integrated for the opener. Hoffenheim also displayed improved attacking quality, with Tim Lemperle proving an effective addition.

Leverkusen’s deeper challenge is a leadership void following the departures of influential figures like Jonathan Tah, Lukas Hradecky, and Granit Xhaka—each instrumental to the team’s recent success under Xabi Alonso. Their absence is felt not only technically but emotionally, removing the resilience that defined the squad.

The club’s strategy had previously shifted after a painful Europa League semi-final loss to Roma in 2023, prompting the signings of experienced players like Xhaka to improve squad maturity and emotional balance. However, the current exodus of key personalities has again left the team reliant on younger players who require veteran guidance.

Though Robert Andrich has been named captain and players like Aleix García and Patrik Schick offer experience, the squad dynamic remains in flux. The challenge for Ten Hag and sporting director Simon Rolfes is not only to replace technical quality but to cultivate renewed team cohesion—a process that will take time, as evidenced by the frail performance against Hoffenheim.