“Xabi has a deep football that is getting a positive reaction from a team like ours. His ambition and sporting aspirations are 100 per cent in line with Bayer 04 Leverkusen. “
This was stated by Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes after coach Alonso agreed the terms of a contract extension with the Werkself during the summer. That ambition saw the highly decorated Spaniard propel Bayer to the bottom of the table during the foreign break and made club enthusiasts dream. their first Bundesliga title.
Matchday seven coincided with Alonso’s first anniversary in the Leverkusen dugout. It’s been more than 365 memorable days for the 41-year-old, whose inventory as a top-notch strategist has grown exponentially in that time.
Watch: Alonso enjoys winning and starts his life at Leverkusen
Few people don’t know by now that when the coach took the reins at the BayArena, Leverkusen were in the relegation zone. Club officials desperately needed a dose of youth and enthusiasm and were willing to take risks with a guy who has arguably won everything in the game as a remarkable midfielder, but is still a newcomer as a coach in the primary leagues.
“Xabi’s arrival last October aroused a lot of approval and a lot of scepticism,” Rolfes recalls. “We were in a difficult situation and we saw Xabi as a world star but also as a green coach who had not yet controlled a more sensible team. team. However, from the beginning I was convinced of his talent and Xabi of the quality of our team. Together we overcame the resistance and created the most productive customer of all for Bayer 04,” continued the club director.
Guiding the team to a UEFA Europa League semi-final and a sixth-place finish in the Bundesliga after desperate for 17th place was a formidable feat for a boy who in the past had only coached youth groups and B groups at Real Madrid and Real Madrid. Society.
However, there was something else about that memorable 2022/23 season that made observers take note: a 2-1 home win over the tactician’s former team, Bayern Munich, who featured cunning, counter-attacking excellence and the seeds of a taste that is despite everything starting to thrive. That afternoon last March, Alonso’s Leverkusen arrived.
In the match you can see several symptoms of those with which Alonso won a masterclass in training: Carlo Ancelotti’s attacking verve, Jose Mourinho’s counter-attacking instinct, Pep Guardiola’s control of men and Rafa Benitez’s eye for detail. The master of Real Madrid and Liverpool’s midfield was now up to the task on the touchline and his players answered to a boy for whom they had the utmost respect.
Watch: Alonso frustrates former Bayern man in 2022/23
“You have to respect him because he’s been there and he’s done it,” Jeremiah Frimpong told The Associated Press. “He’s won everything: the Champions League and the World Cup. As a footballer, that’s what you need to win. And of course, to have a coach like us we are also very grateful. And he knows how to use the team, he knows our capabilities, our weaknesses.
“There is a very good and comfortable base to paint over the base,” Alonso said of the atmosphere in the Leverkusen team. “This makes racing with my painters and all the painters at Bayer 04 a lot of fun. The fact that we are convinced of the same concepts and the same direction on the pitch creates a close affinity and trust,” the coach continued, in quotes published on Leverkusen’s official website.
With the start of a new campaign, the 2023/24 season represented an opportunity for Alonso and his players to build on last season. A full pre-season and extensive team building has taken place.
The talented Moussa Diaby left for England, but Jonas Hofmann arrived, an encouraged signing from Borussia Mönchengladbach. Striker Victor Boniface, full-back Alejandro Grimaldo and the experienced and influential Granit Xhaka have also arrived. The era of minimal testing for all concerned, which is a testament to Alonso’s communication and player management.
“We needed new players with new energy,” the coach said before the start of the new season. “We have very intelligent players who have a direct influence. They have a lot of quality and experience, which is vital for the team.
When he took over as coach a year ago, Leverkusen had the third-worst defence in the Bundesliga. Today, Alonso’s commitment and confidence in a three-man defensive line (or a five-man line without the ball) paid off. the second-best defence in the division, conceding just six goals in their first seven Bundesliga games, and only twice in open play.
Watch: Bayer deny Bayern over death
At the top, the team is an offensive treat to behold. Boniface has scored seven goals (a club record at this stage of the season) and two assists in seven games and has been one of the revelations of the season.
Hofmann left Diaby at the last minute: the 31-year-old has 4 goals and 3 assists to date. In addition to scoring 3 goals, Grimaldo scored two sumptuous free kicks and added one in a 2-2 draw against champions Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, Florian Wirtz’s skills and Frimpong’s speed add up to an immensely talented collective.
The current Bundesliga leaders have started a crusade in the most sensible flight with 19 goals after seven rounds. Bayer’s 23 goals at this level are also a club record, as well as having the luck rate (90%) and the second highest. number of shots on target (119) in the league this season. The Alonso effect is obviously at its peak a year later.
Watch: Leverkusen celebrates Alonso’s birthday with Cologne win
“Xabi’s thorough, analytical and confident technique is really smart for us at Bayer 04,” explained Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro. “At the same time, here with us and in the Bundesliga he has an exceptional environment, where he can strengthen his profile as a player. “young coach,” Carro added of his fellow Spaniard.
Still young, Alonso already has the second-highest winning percentage (58%) among all previous Leverkusen coaches in that position for the same amount of time. Only Bayern, Borussia Dortmund (73 each) and RB Leipzig (69) have managed more. Leverkusen (64th) have struggled in the Bundesliga since Alonso took over, while Bayern (92) and BVB (88) have scored more goals than Xabi at Bayer (71st) since their first game against Schalke last year.
“I think last season was positive, but I need more and so does the club,” said the Spaniard. “Our goal is to achieve as much success as possible in each and every competition; We have big ambitions.
For Bayer, making a name for themselves since winning the DFB Cup in 1993 is a much clearer option than it was just a year ago. For Werkself fans, this is all the more reason to wish Xabi Alonso a happy first birthday at the helm. of Leverkusen.
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