Bayer Leverkusen enters the 2026/27 Bundesliga season embarking on a new era under head coach Carles Martínez. The Werkself aims to return to the top four after a sixth-place finish last term, but currently sits 13th with zero points after one matchday.
Carles Martínez took over as manager in the summer and immediately outlined his philosophy. "The most important thing is that everyone feels valued and has the feeling that they can improve," the Spaniard said. On the pitch, there have been personnel changes. Experienced left-back Alejandro Grimaldo departed the club. His replacement is Miguel Gutiérrez, signed from Napoli. The attacking wing-back completed 88 percent of his passes in Serie A last season. In defence, Edmond Tapsoba takes over as the new team captain, with Patrik Schick serving as his deputy. Previous captain Robert Andrich has passed on the armband.
Alongside established stars, Leverkusen continues to rely on young talent. Twenty-year-old Algeria international Ibrahim Maza made 28 Bundesliga appearances in his maiden campaign at the BayArena, plus 16 more in the DFB Cup and Champions League. He even scored from outside the box in a friendly at Newcastle. Kennet Eichhorn, Afonso Moreira and Christian Kofane are also hoping to push on. However, Eichhorn is currently sidelined injured, alongside Martin Terrier and Montrell Culbreath. Our injuries page tracks the squad's availability.
Leverkusen undertook an extensive friendly schedule. It included convincing wins like a 7-1 against Gießen, a 4-0 against Genk, and a 2-1 against Sevilla. There was also a heavy 7-0 defeat to Brentford. the preparation showed an offensive mindset and provided vital match practice. Martínez summarised the goal: "It's important to feel what we're capable of. The most important thing is to be competitive and win games."
The Bundesliga start was bumpy with an opening defeat. Leverkusen conceded three goals and scored two, resulting in a -1 goal difference. In the standings, they are already three points behind leaders Bayern Munich. The next chance for points comes on September 5th in a home match against ninth-placed Union Berlin. The upcoming fixtures are listed on our fixtures page. The season's first three competitive games take the team to Elversberg, then home to Union Berlin, and finally to Augsburg.
The mission for the entire campaign is clearly defined. After losing more experienced members of the 2023/24 Invincibles squad, the new leadership core of Tapsoba and Schick must forge unity. The current league position shows the urgency. Leverkusen's ambitions to get back among Germany's top four clubs will be measured by their ability to learn from early setbacks and translate pre-season strengths into league results.
