- Leverkusen blew two-goal lead against 10-man Bremen
- Captain criticised team-mates for selfish play and poor discipline
- Ten Hag already under pressure amid winless الدوري الألماني start
Leverkusen captain Andrich has launched a fierce public criticism of his team-mates, accusing them of “playing for themselves” following a disastrous 3-3 draw away to a 10-man فيردر بريمن. The club have been plunged into an early-season crisis after surrendering a two-goal lead in the closing stages of the match.
The result leaves new manager Ten Hag without a victory in the Bundesliga and has intensified the pressure on the former Manchester متحد boss, with German magazine Kicker reporting his job is already under threat. Leverkusen, last season’s runners-up and champions the year prior, underwent a significant squad overhaul in the summer and have shown a severe lack of cohesion. The on-field disarray was perfectly captured when several players argued over who should take a penalty kick while leading 2-1. This comes after the team lost their Bundesliga opener to Hoffenheim.
“Everyone played for themselves, everyone ran around the pitch on their own,” complained Andrich after the 3-3 draw. “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 described the collapse against 10 men as more than a slip-up: “The disastrous final phase was a symbol of our current situation. This has nothing to do with any unrest, player التحويلات, or legal proceedings.”
On the penalty incident, he added: “That was also a signal to the opponent. They see: They’re leading 2-1, could make it 3-1, and are discussing a penalty first. These are the little things that build up an opponent. We can’t stand around for two minutes and play rock-paper-scissors to see who’s going to take the penalty. That’s one of many things that aren’t going well for us at the moment.”
Leverkusen face a crucial run of fixtures that could determine Ten Hag’s future. They host آينتراخت فرانكفورت on 12 September before travelling to Borussia Monchengladbach. Following that, their دوري أبطال أوروبا campaign begins with a trip to Copenhagen. The pressure is now immense on the manager and players to find cohesion and deliver positive results to quell the growing crisis at the club.
