Leverkusen's Bundesliga opener comes too soon for Tillman and Badé
| Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images |
Bayer Leverkusen will head into their Bundesliga opener against Hoffenheim on Saturday without two of their biggest new signings.
As head coach Erik ten Hag revealed at a press conference on Friday, Malik Tillman and Loïc Badé will not be in the squad.
Tillman has been nursing an injury in pre-season, and it remains unclear how long he will remain out for.
“He needs to be built up,” said ten Hag.
Unlike Tillman and Badé, Claudio Echeverri is available following his loan move from Manchester City, the coach confirmed.
Otherwise, not many changes are expected, with Exequiel Palacios, Jonas Hofmann and long-term absentees Jeanuel Belocian and Martin Terrier still sidelined.
“Those who weren’t involved last week won’t be involved tomorrow either. But they are in the process of building up and making good progress," noted ten Hag.
