Kasper Hjolmand’s arrival at Leverkusen, made official on September 8, took place amid a climate of uncertainty for the ‘work’. The departure of Xabi Alonso – after everything he had built and the impact he had on the club – raised doubts about the continuity of the project. Erik ten Hag’s subsequent dismissal fueled the feeling that the team might collapse. But the alternative worked at a speed that no one expected: under the supervision of the Danish coach, Bayer regained the lost stability and identity that seemed to be in suspense.
The team has structure again
The first development is seen in the organization of the game. Heulmand brought back to Leverkusen the principles that were losing clarity: rational space occupation, clean distribution and coordinated pressing that commands the team in both directions. His distinguishing characteristic is: clarity in decision-making, clarity in roles, and obsession with balance.
The data reflects this change. The average possession remains around 57 percent per match, one of the highest numbers in the German League, and passing accuracy is close to 90 percent. They are not just numbers: they are an expression of a plan to control matches from the ball and reduce the haste that characterized some sections at the beginning of the field.
Despite this control, the team did not lose its offensive superiority. In fact, since Heulmand took over, only league leaders Bayern have scored more points, celebrated more victories and scored more goals than Leverkusen.
On an individual level, Alejandro Grimaldo is having a moment of inspiration: his four goals and four assists confirm that he is an essential piece of the left lane. At the top, Patrik Schick regained his composure and has already scored 5 goals, cementing himself as a reference in attack.
And in defence, the improvement is quite evident. Line mismatches and poorly managed transitions have given way to a tighter, more disciplined and more difficult to break block. This arrangement allows profiles such as Belocian, Quansah or Loic Badé – who is also the player who has won the most duels in his team, according to Bundesliga statistics – to have greater freedom without compromising the team balance.
The results support the method
The coach’s influence can already be seen on the scoreboard. Under Heulmand, Leverkusen have won their last two Bundesliga matches and have only seen a four-game unbeaten streak against Bayern, a team that today sets the competitive standard in Germany, come to a halt. With a tally of 7 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses in 11 matches, 23 points and an average of 2.09 per game puts the team at the top of the table: two points behind RB Leipzig and with Borussia Dortmund – their next opponent – breathing down their necks.
Another key aspect is internal management. After a turbulent summer and a dressing room with a shifting hierarchy, Leverkusen needed calm leadership, able to connect the pieces without adding to the tension. Heulmand has chosen to follow a dialogic and horizontal approach with continuous and close communication. He succeeded in integrating youth, recovering stagnant players, and was able to rebuild an atmosphere of unity that today is reflected in the team dynamics.
Compared to the previous stages, the main difference is consistency. Under Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen reached extraordinary heights, but also went through remarkable periods of ups and downs. With Hulmand, the curve is less vertical, but more stable: the team controls more phases, exposes itself less and matures matches better. His style may not be explosive, but it is sustainable. This, in an increasingly difficult German league, has invaluable value.
The challenge now is to prolong this trend when the calendar tightens. With what Heulmand has built in just a few weeks, Leverkusen no longer looks like a team threatened by the void left by Alonso: it is a team that is starting to chart its own path. This path is led by a coach who did not come to turn on the lights, but rather to impose order.
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