Erik ten Hag suffered a nightmare debut as Bayer Leverkusen manager, losing 5-1 to Flamengo’s Under-20s in Brazil on Friday.
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The former Manchester United boss began his new chapter in humiliating fashion, conceding five goals to a youth side on foreign soil.
Flamengo took the lead in just two minutes through Lorran, with Matheus Goncalves doubling the score inside 10 minutes of play.
Goncalves struck again before halftime, while Pedro Leao added a fourth in stoppage time, stunning the Bundesliga side before the break.
Gusttavo netted Flamengo’s fifth early in the second half, making it 5-0 before Montrell Culbreath grabbed a late consolation for Leverkusen.
Despite fielding some senior players, Leverkusen’s defense crumbled under pressure from Flamengo’s talented youngsters throughout the entire 90 minutes.
Veterans Jonas Hofmann and goalkeeper Mark Flekken started, while Granit Xhaka, Patrik Schick and Edmond Tapsoba featured off the bench.
Ten Hag’s youthful lineup lacked rhythm, and the result raises eyebrows ahead of tougher pre-season tests in Germany and the Netherlands, reports Express.
Leverkusen are the first Bundesliga club to tour South America, training at Flamengo’s facility in Rio until Thursday.
Their next pre-season match is against Bochum in Germany next weekend, followed by Fortuna Sittard in early August.
