Sports
Leverkusen sack ‘surprised’ Ten Hag after 3 games
Erik ten Hag has said he was “surprised” to be sacked as Bayer Leverkusen manager after just three games in charge, adding that he never felt “mutual trust” from the club’s board.
Ten Hag replaced Xabi Alonso as head coach in May and signed a two-year-contract. But Ten Hag’s stay at Leverkusen has been brief after a poor start to the 2025-26 season.
Leverkusen won their DFB-Pokal first-round tie against fourth-tier SG Sonnenhof, but since that match on Aug. 15, the tenure of the former Manchester United manager tenure had turned sour. They lost their season opener against TSG Hoffenheim at home and then drew 3-3 with Werder Bremen on Saturday.
The decision was made by the shareholders’ committee at the club and on the recommendation of Bayer’s management.
Ten Hag expressed his dismay at what he called an “unprecedented” decision.
“The decision by Bayer Leverkusen’s management this morning to put me on a leave of absence came as a complete surprise,” Ten Hag said in a statement via his management agency, SEG Football.
“To part ways with a coach after just two league matches is unprecedented.
“This summer, many key players who were part of past successes left the squad. Building a new, cohesive team is a careful process that requires both time and trust. A new coach deserves the space to implement his vision, set the standards, shape the squad and leave his mark on the style of play.
“I started this job with full conviction and energy, but unfortunately the management was not willing to grant me the time and trust I needed, which I deeply regret. I feel this was never a relationship based on mutual trust.
“Throughout my career, every season I have been able to see through to the end as a coach has brought success. Clubs that placed their trust in me have been rewarded with success and silverware.
“Finally, I would like to thank the Bayer Leverkusen supporters for their warmth and passion, and I wish the squad and staff every success for the remainder of the season.
It has been a summer of upheaval at Leverkusen, with several of the stars who led them to the 2024 Bundesliga title leaving the club.
Ten Hag took charge as Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, Amine Adli, Odilon Kossounou, Granit Xhaka, Lukas Hradecky and Jonathan Tah all left the club.
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In response, Leverkusen spent in the region of €170 million ($199.31m) to rebuild the squad with Malik Tillman, Jarell Quansah, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Loïc Badé, Ibrahim Maza, Mark Flekken and Ernest Poku all arriving.
“This decision was not an easy one for us. Nobody wanted to take this step,” Leverkusen managing director for sport Simon Rolfes said. “However, the past few weeks have shown that building a new and successful team with this setup is not feasible. We firmly believe in the quality of our team and will now do everything we can to take the next steps in our development with a new setup.”
Ten Hag, who managed Man United from 2022 to 2024, replaced Alonso, who led the team to the 2024 title and a runner-up finish last season. Alonso joined Real Madrid in the summer.
But while Alonso played attacking football, Ten Hag’s conservative style did not marry with the players. A source told ESPN that Leverkusen were keen to make this change sooner rather than later.
Things were clearly in a dismal state after the clash with Werder Bremen.
They surrendered a two-goal lead, and afterward, captain Robert Andrich was clearly frustrated.
“Everyone played for themselves, everyone ran around the pitch on their own. We have too many players who are preoccupied with other things or only with themselves. I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced that at Bayer,” he said.
“The disastrous final phase [of the draw] was a symbol of our current situation. This has nothing to do with any unrest, player transfers or legal proceedings.”
Bayer CEO Fernando Carro added: “A parting of ways at this early stage of the season is painful, but we felt it was necessary. We remain committed to achieving our goals for the season — and to do that, we need the best possible conditions at all levels and across the entire first team. Now it’s a matter of fully implementing and utilising these conditions again.”
Adidas announced the release of the “U.S. denim jersey” on Monday, a throwback-inspired shirt that’s reminiscent of the classic away tops worn by the United States men’s national team in the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Featuring the iconic washed-denim look adorned with quintessentially ’90s stars, the jersey arrives just ahead of the U.S. hosting the World Cup for a second time this summer, alongside Mexico and Canada as co-hosts.
“With the U.S. Denim jersey, we set out to capture the side of American soccer that has always been distinctive and original,” said Inigo Turner, design director at Adidas football. “This design leans into that spirit with bold graphics, fearless color and a belief that the game here should look and feel like it belongs to the people.”
The full U.S. denim collection by Adidas also includes denim shorts with a star motif, a denim track top with paneling, and a denim cap with star details.
Calling back to the legends who donned the memorable 1994 tops, promotional photos include former USMNT standouts such as Cobi Jones and Alexi Lalas. The collection will be available for purchase from Adidas on March 10.
Speaking of inspiration from the 1994 World Cup, and in contrast to the denim away jersey, the red-and-white striped home kit from that tournament may be what Nike designers looked to for the upcoming home jerseys for this year’s World Cup.
Although no kits for the USMNT have yet to be unveiled, a post on social media went viral over the weekend after a local grocer displayed a red-and-white striped kit for the U.S.
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The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly set to bolster their defensive line with an intriguing trade involving the Green Bay Packers on Monday.
The Cowboys agreed to acquire Pro Bowl defensive tackle Rashan Gary for a 2027 fourth-round draft pick, according to multiple reports. The deal comes as the team lost out on trying to acquire Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders. He was dealt to the Baltimore Ravens last week.
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Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Rashan Gary (52) during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on Nov. 23, 2025. (Jeff Hanisch/Imagn Images)
The Packers selected Gary with the No. 12 overall pick of the 2019 draft out of Michigan. He improved dramatically over the course of seven seasons as he started out as a defensive end, moved to linebacker and then back to the defensive line.
Gary was a Pro Bowl selection in 2024 when he had 7.5 sacks, 47 tackles and a fumble recovery in 17 games. In 2025, Gary played in 16 games. He had 7.5 sacks, 45 tackles and a fumble recovery.
Green Bay Packers defensive end Rashan Gary (52) celebrates after the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Nov. 17, 2024. (Daniel Bartel/Imagn Images)
He signed a four-year contract extension with the Packers during the 2023 season. He will be owed $18 million in 2026 and $21 million in 2027.
Dallas was 7-9-1 in the first season with Brian Schottenheimer as the head coach. The team’s defense was shaken up before the season began when the team traded Micah Parsons to the Packers.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on before the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, on Oct. 26, 2025. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)
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The Cowboys were 32nd in points allowed and 30th in yards allowed during the 2025 season.
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Former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said the club’s president Joan Laporta scuppered the return of all-time great Lionel Messi in 2023 to avoid a power struggle.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner left Barca for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and then two years later moved to MLS side Inter Miami.
“Leo was signed, in January 2023 after winning the World Cup, we got in touch and he told me he wanted to come back,” Xavi told Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia late on Sunday.
“We had the green light from La Liga (financially), but it was the president who threw it away…
“Laporta told me, word for word, that if Leo came back he was going to wage war against him and that he couldn’t allow that. And then suddenly Leo stopped answering my calls because he’d been told that it couldn’t be done.”
Xavi said everything was ready for Messi’s return, there was “no doubt” in a football sense and “we were going to do a last dance, like (former NBA star Michael) Jordan’s”.
Laporta, who resigned as president a few weeks ago to run for re-election this week, suggested Monday former coach Xavi was bitter and said Messi’s father and agent Jorge had told him the superstar had decided not to come back.
“With Xavi I saw we were going to lose and with (current coach Hansi) Flick that we will win,” Laporta said at a presidential debate Monday.
“I understand that (Xavi) is hurt — with the same players Flick wins.”
Laporta said he sent a contract to Jorge Messi who later came to his house and told him that “here there would be too much pressure” if the forward returned.
Messi is Barcelona’s all-time top scorer with 672 goals and won a club-record 34 trophies at Camp Nou.
Laporta also claimed Barca rejected a 250 million euro ($288 million) offer from PSG for teenage superstar Lamine Yamal, reported to have been made in the summer of 2024.
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