Jarell Quansah hails "positive start" at Bayer Leverkusen
New Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah expressed satisfaction with his first outing in Werkself colours as the 2024 Bundesliga champions ran out 2-0 winners against Bundesliga 2 side Bochum in a pre-season friendly.
Quansah joined Erik Ten Hag's newly-shaped team from Liverpool FC after winning the UEFA European U21 Championship with England and he put on a commanding display in the heart of Leverkusen's defence in what was the 22-year-old's first start for his new side.
"It's a really positive start to my career here," the centre-back told Bayer 04's media channel after Sunday's encounter at an atmospheric Vonovia Ruhrstadion. "To start with, a 2-0 win is always positive, and also to begin with a clean sheet," he added.
"But, there is always a lot of things to improve on and game by game I'm sure we'll get better with fitness; so far we've clicked together."
On a day when Leverkusen announced one more new arrival in winger Farid Alfa-Ruprecht from Manchester City, Quansah was one of several new faces gaining playing time for the 2025/26 Bundesliga challengers, who recently returned from a tour to Brazil. Mark Flekken started in goal against Bochum while Ibrahim Maza and Christian Kofane also received playing time.
Both Bayer's goals were scored in the first half, with Jonas Hofmann and Patrik Schick on target against a Bochum side who kick off their Bundesliga 2 campaign away to Darmstadt on 2 August.
For their part, Bayer will be in friendly action again on Friday when new coach ten Hag takes his side to the Netherlands to face Fortuna Sittard. The 2023/24 double winners open their DFB Cup tilt against Sonnenhof Großaspach on 15 August ahead of a Bundesliga start at home to Hoffenheim eight days later.
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