"It wasn't always easy" – Andrich reflects on losing captaincy and falling down Leverkusen pecking order

Since Carles Martinez took charge of Bayer Leverkusen last summer, Robert Andrich has lost the captaincy to Edmond Tapsoba and seen his playing time limited to just 127 minutes across three appearances this season.

Speaking to Sky Germany, the 32-year-old midfielder admitted that it took time to adjust to his new situation after playing a prominent role under both Xabi Alonso and Kasper Hjulmand.

“Mentally, it wasn’t always easy, especially at the beginning of the season – particularly when you were captain last year and played almost every game. But that’s part of the job, and you have to deal with it professionally,” Andrich said.

The midfielder is now determined to do everything in his power to fight his way back into the starting XI.

“I’ve accepted the situation and acknowledged that, from a sporting perspective, things are a little more difficult for the time being,” Andrich said, adding:

“At the same time, I told myself: I have no choice but to work hard and make myself impossible to ignore. And those who aspire to be regular starters have to deliver performances when they know there’s someone behind them waiting for their chance.”