Bayer Leverkusen - injuries & suspensions October 2026

Bayer Leverkusen: 2026/27 season preview

Bayer Leverkusen begin the 2026/2027 season with a new coach and a heavily reshaped squad. After finishing sixth in the previous campaign, the club appointed Carles Martínez Novell, who previously managed Toulouse. The Spaniard replaced Kasper Hjulmand and signed a contract until June 2028. The change in the dugout marks a new chapter for a team looking to return to the Bundesliga’s top tier and compete again for a place in the Champions League.

A new coach, a new chapter

Martínez arrives at Leverkusen with experience gained in France, where he worked at Toulouse from 2023. He was also previously involved with Barcelona’s academy. He is now tasked with building a team in his own image, while making use of the players who stayed on after last season.

Edmond Tapsoba has been named captain, with Patrik Schick as his deputy. Both are among the most experienced players in the current squad and have been at the club since 2020. Their roles will be particularly important as the team undergoes such a major overhaul.

Major changes to the squad

Leverkusen said goodbye to several key figures over the summer. Alejandro Grimaldo moved to Atlético Madrid, Piero Hincapié joined Arsenal on a permanent deal, and Exequiel Palacios moved to Ipswich Town. Matěj Kovář and Ernest Poku also left the club, while several young players were sent out on loan.

Among those brought in were Facundo Medina from Olympique Marseille, Miguel Gutiérrez from Napoli, Guéla Doué from Strasbourg and Afonso Moreira from Lyon. The return of Moussa Diaby has attracted the most attention, however. The Frenchman represented Leverkusen from 2019 to 2023 and, after spells at Aston Villa and Al-Ittihad, has rejoined Werkself. He signed a contract until 2031.

The club is also continuing to invest in youth. One of its new arrivals is 16-year-old Kennet Eichhorn, signed from Hertha Berlin. Ibrahim Maza, Malik Tillman and Christian Kofane also remain in the squad. Leverkusen therefore retain a blend of young players and those already experienced at the highest level.

A reshaped defence

Martínez’s biggest challenge will be organising the defence. The departures of Grimaldo and Hincapié mean losing two players who have played important roles in recent years. Leverkusen responded by signing Medina and Gutiérrez. Edmond Tapsoba and Loïc Badé remain at centre-back, with Jarell Quansah also joining them. On the right, Guéla Doué is set to increase competition for a place in the starting lineup.

Mark Flekken remains in goal, with Janis Blaswich and Niklas Lomb as his backups. This squad gives Martínez several options for setting up the defence. However, the new arrivals will need time to gel with the rest of the team.

An attack featuring experienced names

In attack, Leverkusen can still count on Patrik Schick, Christian Kofane and Victor Boniface, with Diaby’s return providing another option. Martin Terrier, Nathan Tella, Eliesse Ben Seghir and Afonso Moreira are also in the squad. This depth in attack allows the coach to rotate and choose players to suit different approaches to building attacks.

Schick remains one of the team’s most important figures. The Czech has been among Leverkusen’s most prolific players for years and will also serve as vice-captain this season. Boniface and Diaby will be among those competing for places in attack, alongside younger players such as Kofane and Moreira.

Leverkusen’s new project

The 2026/2027 season will be a period of major change for Bayer. The club has changed coaches and rebuilt a significant part of the squad, while retaining players who remember its earlier successes. Leverkusen still have plenty of experience in the squad, but there is no shortage of young players with great potential either. The signings of Medina, Gutiérrez and Doué, along with Diaby’s return, show the scale of the changes. The key now will be to bring these two groups together and build a team that quickly starts playing according to Martínez’s ideas.