Kasper Hjulmand dismissed by Bayer Leverkusen after a highly disappointing season
Kasper Hjulmand has been let go from his role as head coach of German club Bayer Leverkusen, with Carles Martinez stepping in to take over the Dane's position.
Having been appointed in September 2025 to stabilise the team following Erik ten Hag's very early dismissal, Leverkusen's performance gradually deteriorated over the season. Hjulmand's departure was anticipated at the conclusion of this Bundesliga campaign.
Hjulmand delivered some positive results, including an away victory against Manchester City, but Leverkusen ultimately made an early and disappointing exit from the Champions League knockout rounds.
In the domestic league, Hjulmand's side failed to secure a top-four finish for Champions League qualification, suffering costly and frustrating losses to teams such as Union Berlin and Augsburg.
"First and foremost, we wish to thank Kasper Hjulmand for his dedication and effort last season. With qualification for the semi-finals of the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) and the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League, some notable achievements were attained, even though the overall objectives were not completely met. We extend our best wishes for his future endeavours," said Werner Wenning, Chairman of the Shareholders' Committee of Bayer Leverkusen.
Meanwhile, CEO Fernando Carro is already looking ahead: "Our aim remains to be consistently competitive at the elite level and to further reinforce our position among Europe's leading clubs. We are confident that Carles Martinez, with his exceptional coaching credentials, is an excellent fit for this vision."
Sporting director Simon Rolfes added that Martinez had "successfully nurtured numerous young players at Toulouse and shaped an internationally diverse squad into a cohesive unit. He brings to Leverkusen a wealth of expertise from his time at FC Barcelona's youth academy, complementing his valuable experience."
Martinez is set to be formally introduced during a press conference on Friday.