Bundesliga
Is the new Leverkusen captain decided?
With Granit Xhaka, Jonathan Tah, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz having left Bayer Leverkusen over the summer and Lukáš Hrádecký set to follow, Erik ten Hag has given his strongest indication yet that Robert Andrich will wear the captain's armband in 2025/26.
Goalkeeper Hrádecký has skippered Leverkusen since the start of 2021/22, but new signing Mark Flekken was preferred between the posts in recent pre-season friendly wins over Bochum and Fortuna Sittard, with Andrich deployed as team captain.
"It's a sign," said Ten Hag when asked about the possibility of Andrich continuing to wear the armband ahead of the new Bundesliga season. "He's a leader. You can see it. He communicates. He's present. He's a role model for the team."
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Andrich, an 18-time Germany international who can play in midfield and the centre of defence, is relishing the prospect of taking on even greater responsibility following the departures of so many key players.
"It always feels good to wear the armband. You can get used to it," he said.
Leverkusen continue their 2025/26 preparations with a friendly against Italian side Pisa on 5 August, before concluding their pre-season calendar with a game against Chelsea (8 August)
Bayer's competitive season starts with a trip to Sonnenhof Großaspach in the DFB Cup first round on 15 August, followed by their Bundesliga opener at home to Hoffenheim a week later.