Robert Andrich is expected to remain at Bayer Leverkusen for the current season. Sporting director Simon Rolfes addressed the future of the 31-year-old German international in comments to FAZ Sport on Tuesday.
Simon Rolfes, Bayer Leverkusen's sporting director, gave a clear assessment regarding Robert Andrich's future. "I assume that he will stay," Rolfes said according to the FAZ Sport report. This seems to clarify the situation for the midfielder, after the club's management had advised him to look for a new club due to likely limited playing time. Andrich, who is under contract with Die Werkself until 2028, has made 19 appearances for the German national team.
New head coach Carles Martínez has given an honest assessment of Robert Andrich's current situation. Martínez stated that the experienced player "initially has more of a secondary role in that midfield position. He deserves to know that". This open communication reflects the coach's direct approach. Also, Andrich was stripped of the captain's armband this season, which is now worn by Edmond Tapsoba. The changed role comes during a phase where Leverkusen has made a difficult start to the season following their 2024 double win.
The Bundesliga opener did not go ideally for Bayer Leverkusen. The team lost its first match of the season 2-3 against newly promoted SV Elversberg. This defeat means Leverkusen currently sits in 15th place in the table, with zero points from one game. The record shows zero wins, zero draws, and one loss. In the standings, they are already three points behind leaders Bayern Munich. The goal statistics show two scored and three conceded, resulting in a negative goal difference of minus one. The current form is indicated with a simple "L" for Loss.
In addition to sporting challenges, coach Carles Martínez must also deal with personnel shortages. Several players are currently injured and unavailable. The list of absentees includes Eliesse Ben Seghir, Matteo Culbreath, Kjell-Erik Eichhorn, and Martin Terrier. These absences limit tactical options, especially in attack and midfield.
The next opportunity to shed the negative impressions of the season start comes on September 5, 2026. Bayer Leverkusen will then host Union Berlin at the BayArena. The guests from the capital had a better start to the season and currently occupy seventh place in the table. It is an important match to collect the first points and regain confidence. Against this backdrop, the clarification regarding Robert Andrich is a stabilizing factor for the team. His stay despite a initially smaller role speaks to the cohesion and long-term planning of the club. All upcoming fixtures can be found in our fixtures schedule.
