Erik ten Hag spoke about his departure from Bayer Leverkusen, mentioning Xabi Alonso

Former Bayer Leverkusen manager Erik ten Hag has commented on his departure from the club, citing Xabi Alonso, who was previously sacked as Real Madrid's head coach. Xabi previously managed Bayer Leverkusen, while ten Hag worked at Manchester United. Erik is now the technical director of Dutch club Twente.

"I was fired without any chance to prove that my approach works. If you look at my CV, you will see that it has always been quite good. My approach to work always leads to success. Of course it is disappointing, but that is the world of football. Look at Xabi Alonso and Real Madrid. It happened to him too, even though he is the best coach. It happens to almost everyone," Ten Hag said, according to the Daily Mail.

Ten Hag left Bayer in September 2025.