Elias Ben Sakhour faces new opportunity with Leverkusen

Moroccan international Elias Ben Sakhour is set to open a new chapter with Bayer 04 Leverkusen, having regained his fitness and is a candidate to appear in the squad for the first time this season, with the possibility of participating today, Saturday, against Augsburg. This comes as he looks to compensate for a difficult start since his move to the Bundesliga from AS Monaco in 2025, in a deal worth €32 million plus bonuses.

Ben Saghir's numbers with Bayer 04 Leverkusen have not met expectations, as he has participated in 10 Bundesliga matches, starting two of them, without completing any match for the full 90 minutes, and he has neither scored nor assisted any goals. Counting all competitions, the Moroccan player has played 15 matches in the team's shirt without a direct contribution to any goal, despite the technical abilities that led the club to sign him to fill part of the void left by Florian Wirtz's departure to Liverpool.

Despite this, Bayer 04 Leverkusen officials have not lost faith in the player, especially coach Carlos Martinez, who knows his capabilities from Ligue 1. Sporting director Simon Rolfes revealed that Martinez was surprised by the lack of playing time for Ben Saghir, considering his knowledge of the player's level during his encounters with AS Monaco when he was coaching Toulouse, while the club values his ability to dribble and evade markers in tight spaces and make a difference near the penalty area.

Ben Sghir has faced a series of injuries that have impacted his continuity, having suffered from pubic bone issues during the first half of last season. He returned from the Africa Cup of Nations at the beginning of 2026 with a long-term foot injury, before sustaining a thigh injury ahead of Bayer 04 Leverkusen's first friendly match in mid-July, extending his absence from four weeks to nearly two months.

Florian Wirtz's return comes at a crucial time for Bayer 04 Leverkusen as they enter a busy fixture schedule, which may give him a greater opportunity to gain minutes and regain his rhythm and confidence. His return also represents an important addition for coach Martínez, especially since the Algerian Ibrahim Maaza is almost the only player with the same ability to penetrate compact defenses and handle tight spaces, making the presence of another alternative important during a long season, particularly as Maaza faced difficulties in maintaining his level during the second half of last season due to his numerous appearances.

The return of Ben Sghir will provide Martínez with an additional option in the attacking third, alongside the possibility of resting Mazraoui during busy match periods, allowing the Moroccan player to finally have a chance to prove that the potential which led Liverpool to sign him is still capable of showing on the pitch.