Bayer Coach Hjulmand Focuses on League Ahead of Clash with Freiburg

Bayer 04 Leverkusen coach Peter Hjulmand on Friday unequivocally directed his team's attention to the upcoming Bundesliga match, distancing himself from distracting speculation. „Bundesliga ist jetzt das Wichtigste” (The Bundesliga is now the most important thing) — Peter Hjulmand. His statement, published by "stern.de" and "RP Online," is a direct response to the media storm that erupted the day before regarding the potential transfer of SC Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu to Leverkusen. Hjulmand emphasized that all other tasks and topics take a back seat to the necessity of securing points in Sunday's clash. Peter Hjulmand, a Dane, took over as coach of Bayer Leverkusen in 2025, replacing the departing Xabi Alonso. His priority from the start has been to stabilize the team's play and return to the top of the Bundesliga and regular appearances in the Champions League. Bayer, known as "Werkself," has for years consistently invested in young, talented players, building a team capable of competing with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. The direct context for Hjulmand's firm declaration is the reports from Thursday that dominated German sports media. Numerous portals, including "Die Welt," "ZEIT ONLINE," and "stern," reported on advanced negotiations between Freiburg and Bayer regarding the transfer of 23-year-old goalkeeper and German national team player Noah Atubolu. Freiburg coach Christian Schuster, asked about this during a press conference ahead of Sunday's match, gave a laconic response that nonetheless became the main topic of reports: "Alles positiv." This statement is widely interpreted as confirmation that talks are ongoing and that the club is taking a calm, even optimistic, approach to the whole situation. 9 marca — Closing date of the Bundesliga transfer window The timing of the information leak is highly controversial. The two clubs will face each other on Sunday, March 8, in the 25th round of the Bundesliga at the Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg im Breisgau. The possibility that Atubolu could play in this match against the team he might join in a few days creates unusual dynamics. Especially since the transfer window in Germany closes on Monday, March 9, right after this clash. Through his Friday statement, Hjulmand is trying to shield his team from these external tensions and fully focus on tactics and play. Interestingly, other reports from Thursday describe the atmosphere in the Freiburg camp in completely different, positive tones. The N-tv agency and stern.de portal, in a separate article titled "Freiburger Frühlingsgefühle" (Freiburg Spring Feelings), report the mood in the team as "cheerful" and full of energy ahead of Sunday's match. This suggests that despite the media storm surrounding the transfer, Christian Schuster's team remains focused on the sporting task and is not allowing itself to be distracted. The coach, when asked about a possible transfer, consistently did not reveal any financial or personal details, maintaining a positive yet vague tone that could serve both to calm the situation and preserve a negotiating advantage. Chronology of events before Freiburg - Bayer match: March 5, approx. 14:46 — Start of reports about Atubolu; March 5, approx. 15:06 — Coach Schuster's comment; March 5, approx. 15:30 — Report on team atmosphere; March 6, approx. 11:44 — Hjulmand's statement The potential transfer of Atubolu to Leverkusen fits into the broader strategy of "Werkself," which involves acquiring young, promising German talents. For Freiburg, on the other hand, a potential large transfer fee for their academy product could represent a significant financial boost. However, directly before Sunday's match, both coaches – Schuster through restrained optimism and Hjulmand through firm prioritization of the league – are trying to create a protective buffer around their teams against the media noise. Success in this direct clash could be more important for both clubs than any transfer talks, especially in the context of the fight for places in European competitions.