Erik ten Hag: “I don’t really give a s**t about pre-season results”

Die Werkself’s gaffer cut a slightly frustrated figure after the game.

Despite Bayer Leverkusen’s hefty and unexpected 5-1 hammering dealt by Flamengo’s U-20 side, Erik ten Hag is not remotely bothered by the result.

Sport BILD and Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger captured the thoughts of the recently appointed Bayer Leverkusen head coach in Brazil. 

“The result looks bad, but I don’t really give a s**t about pre-season results. We must never lose, not by that margin too.

“But it was important to me that I didn’t lose any players. It would have been better to play the game later.

“At Leverkusen, we also have high expectations when the players are young. But we mustn’t judge them too harshly,” he added. 

Die Werkself’s Finnish goalkeeper Lukáš Hradecky was equally taken aback by the quality with the Rio de Janeiro club’s ranks. 

“I understood them to be a mixed team [with pros] just like us. But this was certainly a good lesson for the young players, to compete at this high level.

“No wonder that so many talents are here and come to Europe all the time – they impressed me very much and deserved to win,” he added.

Watch the highlights from the game between Flamengo U20 and Bayer Leverkusen below.