"The most important thing is that everyone feels valued and has the feeling that they can improve." Carles Martínez used that line to set the tone at Bayer Leverkusen, and the rest of his message matched it. He does not want to box the team into a fixed identity before the season even starts. He wants a side that feels its way into games, stays competitive and wins them.

Leverkusen finished 6th in 2025/26, ended the Bundesliga campaign with 59 points and a +21 goal difference, so there is a base to work from even after a season outside the top four. Martínez’s tone fits that position. It is practical, not romantic, and that is probably the right approach for a club trying to move back up quickly without pretending the reset is already complete.

Leverkusen's reset signs

Pre-season has given Martínez some reasons to be upbeat, even if it has not all gone to plan. Bayer Leverkusen lost 7-0 to Brentford, but they also won away at Newcastle United. Those results sit side by side, which is about right for a club still trying to settle into a new rhythm under a new coach.

The leadership group has changed too. Robert Andrich has given way to Edmond Tapsoba as captain, with Patrik Schick becoming deputy. Those are not cosmetic details, because they show the club is not just changing the voice on the touchline. It is spreading responsibility across a new core.

There is also evidence of who Martínez wants that core to include. Miguel Gutiérrez signed from Napoli and completed 88 percent of his passes in Serie A last season, which points to a cleaner left-sided build-up option. Ibrahim Maza already made 28 Bundesliga appearances in his maiden campaign at the BayArena and added 16 more across the DFB Cup and Champions League, so he is being treated as more than a prospect. His stunning long-range strike in the first minute away at Newcastle was the sort of moment that helps a young player keep his place in the picture.

Martínez is not promising a style before the evidence is there. He is asking for buy-in, improvement and competitiveness, and Leverkusen will need all three if they are going to climb back toward the top four. The first real checkpoint comes when the league schedule starts, with the club trying to turn those pre-season signs into points.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →