Bayer Leverkusen director Simon Rolfes imagines going up against FC Copenhagen will be a special moment for new coach Kasper Hjulmand.

Leverkusen appointed Hjulmand as Erik ten Hag's successor earlier this month, with the former Denmark boss overseeing a 3-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in his opening Bundesliga match at the helm.

Hjulmand's focus now switches to a Champions League clash against Copenhagen, which involves a trip back to his native Denmark.

The 53-year-old coached his country for four years, leading Denmark to the semi-finals of Euro 2020, while also stewarding their World Cup 2022 and Euro 2024 campaigns.

And Rolfes feels like a return home is the ideal start for Hjulmand in the Champions League.

"I think Kasper is extremely happy," Rolfes told reporters.

"In the first call that we had, I immediately told him: 'The first away match in the Champions League is in Copenhagen, right on your doorstep – you are probably more prepared for it than anyone else'.

"These are exactly the kind of things that make it extraordinary.

"Football lives off emotions, from stories, special moments, each and every one. For him, this is a special moment; also for us, because it is the Champions League – for Kasper, after such a short time, to face Copenhagen has to be special."

Leverkusen won five of their 10 Champions League matches last season (D1 L4), only ever managing more victories in the competition during the 2001-02 season, when they won eight matches en route to the final.

That was under Xabi Alonso, whose successor Ten Hag lasted just three matches before being shown the door.

It was a difficult summer for the 2023-24 Bundesliga champions, who saw Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Granit Xhaka, Piero Hincapie and Jonathan Tah follow Alonso out of the club to pastures new.

Rolfes, though, feels Leverkusen have a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts.

"On Friday we showed that we can succeed," said Rolfes. 

"Kasper is very happy with the squad - otherwise he would not have taken the job. 

"I am very satisfied with the squad. It was an intense summer, also with the transfers and the number of players that left and entered – it was a wild ride, that is clear."

Copenhagen have met Leverkusen just twice before in European competition, losing twice during a qualifying tie in 2014-15 by a 7-2 aggregate scoreline.