Carles Martínez speaks on his aims as Bayer Leverkusen start pre-season training
New Bayer Leverkusen coach Carles Martínez spoken of the way he expects his team to play in 2026/27 as they began pre-season training on Tuesday.
Having been appointed as Kasper Hjulmand's successor last month, Martínez had the first opportunity to work with his players at their initial pre-season session in Leverkusen.
"We want to play with intensity, passion, and precision from day one," he said. "We need to internalise that so we can access it at any time.”
The 42-year-old addressed his lively coaching style by adding: “I’m a very passionate guy, and that’s how I communicate with my team.”
Nathan Tella expressed a positive first impression of his new boss, saying: "He's very communicative and clear. He can tell us exactly what he expects from us on the pitch. That's precisely what we need as a young team. I can already feel a good connection."
Martínez will be in a Leverkusen dugout for the first time in a friendly match against Sportfreunde Baumberg on Saturday 18 July.
Their first competitive match of the season is a DFB Cup first-round tie at Wehen Wiesbaden on 22 August (kick-off 1pm CEST) before the side that finished sixth in 2025/26 face their Bundesliga opener at newly promoted Elversberg the following weekend.
