Ten Hag's Leverkusen lose to Hoffenheim in opener

Erik ten Hag’s first Bundesliga match in charge of Bayer Leverkusen ended in disappointment as Hoffenheim overturned an early lead to win 2-1 at the BayArena, underscoring the scale of the rebuild he faces after taking over from Xabi Alonso. Leverkusen have reshaped their squad markedly this summer, bringing in 14 new players and parting with several established names, in a bid to reclaim their status and challenge for the Bundesliga title.

The match moved quickly in Leverkusen’s favor when Jarell Quansah, arriving from Liverpool, headed home a free kick after six minutes to give the home side an early lead. Hoffenheim responded through Fisnik Asllani before halftime, then Tim Lemperle struck after the break, exploiting space to drive a low shot past the Leverkusen defense. Ten Hag’s side pressed for an equaliser but could not complete the comeback as Hoffenheim defended well and controlled the game’s tempo in the later stages.

The defeat highlighted the magnitude of the task Ten Hag inherited. He arrived to a squad that has undergone a radical transformation, with a wholesale turnover designed to shift Leverkusen’s culture and competitive profile. In addition to the sizeable...