The German football club Bayer Leverkusen officially announced the appointment of Spaniard Carles Martínez Novell as the team's new head coach.
The 42-year-old specialist signed a contract until the end of the 2027/28 season and will take over the team from July 1, after the contract with his previous team Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 expired. He will take the place of Kasper Hülmand, who was fired after just one season at the helm of the “Aspirins“, after finishing sixth in the Bundesliga with 59 points.
“First of all, we would like to thank Kasper Hülmand for his work and dedication last season. Reaching the semi-finals of the German Cup and the round of 16 in the Champions League was an important success and a key stage in the development of the team, although our specific sporting goals were not fully achieved. We personally wish him all the best for the future. At the same time, we are pleased to attract an ambitious and modern coach to Bayer 04 in Carles Martinez," said Bayer's Chairman of the Shareholders' Committee Werner Wenning, quoted by the club's website.
Carles Martinez Novell took over at Toulouse in the summer of 2023 and has since led the team to 11th, 10th and 9th place in his three seasons as a coach in the French top flight.