Bayer Leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand targets closing gap to Bayern Munich

Leverkusen have collected more Bundesliga points than every side except Bayern Munich during his tenure, with Hjulmand insisting the foundation of their progress has been "simple, structured football with ambition".

Hjulmand said the squad quickly embraced his vision. "This club have always had an identity of playing with expression. My job is to enhance that and give the players a framework so they can feel free," he said. "We work from game to game. We play, we learn, and we move on."

The Dane admitted the opening weeks were intense. He arrived on a Wednesday, led his first match on the Friday, and then faced a match every three days with a group full of late summer arrivals. "I did not know the staff or the players. Everything was new. The big challenge was to win while also sharing my ideas," he said. "Shaping a team takes time because we were new together."

Hjulmand accepted that the defeat against Bayern in October, Leverkusen's heaviest setback under him, exposed the current gap between the sides. "The gap is definitely there and it was painful. We should not have allowed those three goals," he said. "We are trying to close that gap. I can see how much potential this team have, but right now the gap exists."

Lever, Leverkusen's numbers this season reflect Hjulmand's proactive style. They rank among the league leaders for duels won and passing accuracy, and they have scored several goals immediately after regaining possession high up the pitch. Hjulmand said this comes from linking phases of play. "If you want to recover the ball quickly, you must make short passes in the opponent's half so that when you lose it, you are close enough to win it back," he said. "The game is played at a higher pace now, so you must attack quickly and directly."

He praised the leadership emerging inside the dressing room. "Mark Flekken have been great in goal. Edmond Tapsoba and Loic Bade are growing at the back. Robert Andrich works every day to keep standards high," he said. "Aleix Garcia controls the rhythm, Grimaldo is performing at a very high level, and Patrik Schick and Jonas Hofmann are both on form. When experienced players step up, the young players follow."

Leverkusen face Wolfsburg next, a match that reunites Hjulmand with Christian Eriksen, who is now part of Wolfsburg's midfield. Their bond dates back to Euro 2020, when Hjulmand was Denmark head coach during Eriksen's cardiac arrest. Hjulmand said he did not pursue Eriksen in the recent window due to squad depth. "We already had many players in that position. It was not the right time," he said. "Christian is a fantastic player and an even better person. When he trains and plays, you see a very special player who understands more on the pitch than most."

Leverkusen's push to close the gap on Bayern continues, and under Hjulmand the momentum behind that effort is growing.

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