Leverkusen's Ten Hag laughs off 5-1 defeat, wants Xhaka to stay
Rio de Janeiro
Bayer Leverkusen's new coach Erik ten Hag was unflustered by his side losing 5-1 to Flamengo's under-20 team during their pre-season tour of Brazil on Friday.
'We haven't played together in this constellation,' he told reporters. 'I really don't give a shit about pre-season results.' He emphasized that what mattered to him was 'what I saw.'
In the final stages of the match, he said there was 'a very good approach.' The Dutchman has replaced Xabi Alonso, who left to coach Real Madrid after winning the Bundesliga in 2024 and finishing second to Bayern Munich last term.
Ten Hag is back in football for the first time since a forgettable spell at Manchester United and the English press were on his back again after the defeat in Rio de Janeiro.
Ten Hag told the Bild newspaper on Saturday that he hopes Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka stays at the club amid interest from Saudi Pro League club Neom SC.
The fact the 32-year-old flew to Brazil is a good sign for the new coach.
'Granit should stay,' he said. 'We are rebuilding, a new team is emerging ... but if it was up to me, he would stay.' Leverkusen utility player Robert Andrich was not as sanguine as his coach about the loss in Brazil.
'I don't want to sound too dramatic, but this was a bit of a catastrophe,' he told Bild.
Leverkusen, who have lost star players Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool, started with only Jonas Hofmann, Victor Boniface, Amine Adli and Arthur as first teamers.
Ten Hag changed almost the entire team at half-time and Patrik Schick, Alejandro Grimaldo, Xhaka and Andrich entered the fray.
Leverkusen stay in their training camp in Brazil until Wednesday and then have friendlies back in Europe against Pisa and Chelsea.
They return to the competitive action in the new season with a German Cup first-round clash at fourth-tier SG Sonnenhof Grossaspach on August 15.
Leverkusen host Hoffenheim in their Bundesliga opener on August 23.
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