German soccer doesn't usually produce such explosive headlines in the opening rounds of the Bundesliga. However, what happened in Leverkusen has made waves across Europe. It has to do with Lucas Vázquez.
The versatile footballer who left Real Madrid this summer to start a new chapter in Germany has already become a protagonist in Germany upon his arrival.
What seemed like a low-profile signing has turned into a real storm. His arrival at Bayer Leverkusen not only surprised the club's supporters, but also triggered an unexpected side effect.
The consequences have cost coach Erik ten Hag his job, as he had only managed the team for two official matches in the Bundesliga.
An operation behind the coach's back
Lucas Vázquez's signing wasn't free from controversy from the very beginning. Leverkusen's technical department negotiated his arrival without seeking Ten Hag's direct input. The Dutch coach, who was already coming off a complicated experience at Manchester United, didn't see a place for the Galician in his system.
However, the sporting management considered the former Madridist's versatility a market opportunity. Lucas can play as a full-back, wing-back, or winger, and that versatility was highly valuable in a squad built to compete in the Champions League and Bundesliga. The problem arose when Ten Hag publicly expressed his disagreement.
The fastest dismissal in the Bundesliga
After two official matches, Bayer's board decided that the internal conflict couldn't continue. The atmosphere in the locker room wasn't ideal. Lucas Vázquez's arrival was interpreted as the final blow for a coach who wasn't connecting with the squad.
Ten Hag's dismissal has been one of the fastest in the recent history of the German championship. The club needed an immediate change and preferred to make a clean break before the season was compromised. In that context, Lucas's signing was seen as the straw that broke the camel's back.
Lucas, uninvolved in the controversy
Meanwhile, the Spanish footballer keeps his distance from the storm. Lucas Vázquez has always been an exemplary professional, and in Germany, it's no different.
The Galician didn't ask for Ten Hag's departure nor was he directly involved in the decision. However, indirectly, his signing ended up being the cause that precipitated the split between coach and management.
In Leverkusen, they trust the player to bring experience and competitiveness to a team aiming to establish itself among Europe's elite. The question is how the new coach will handle the situation and whether Lucas will be able to make a good start with the team.
The Bundesliga has started off strong. Lucas Vázquez, without intending to, has already become the epicenter of the season's first major controversy.