BERLIN (AP) — Xabi Alonso has transformed Bayer Leverkusen from a relegation candidate to unbeaten Bundesliga leader in just over a year since taking over.
The Alonsos have won 22 of their 35 Bundesliga games in 2023, a club record in a calendar year.
Alonso, considered a fashionable midfielder at Real Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Sociedad, had shown himself to be a coach at a big club until Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes left him out of the squad in October last year.
Leverkusen were second from last place in the Bundesliga with just five problems in their first eight games, already eliminated in the first of the German Cup and suffering in the Champions League.
After starting with a 4-0 loss to Schalke, Alonso had to wait for his mind to take over, and the team failed to win any of its next six games. But then it all came together with a 5-0 loss to Schalke. The then leader Union Berlin in November 2022. It was the result Alonso needed to regain confidence in the team.
They have grown only stronger in the meantime. On Wednesday, Leverkusen stayed four points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with a 4-0 win over Bochum, while it also set a German record for the longest unbeaten run since the start of the season.
Leverkusen have lost any of their 25 matches in all competitions this season. So far he has won all 3 matches.
“We wanted to have a smart first part of the season, but even the most positive people didn’t imagine that we would do so well,” Alonso said. “We are in this situation, we will enjoy it, but we have to continue. We don’t need to stop.
Leverkusen arguably play the most exciting football in the league. Speedy wingers Jeremie Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo launch relentless attacks down the flanks, Granit Xhaka brings his joy to the centre and Florian Wirtz talks about his magic up front. The 20-year-old Wirtz has scored 8 goals and added 12 in all competitions this season.
But Alonso also counts in his team.
On Wednesday against Bochum, he opted to start Patrik Schick in Victor Boniface’s position for the first time this season in the Bundesliga. The Czech striker responded with a hat-trick in the first half. Boniface had to wait for his replacement to arrive. before scoring his tenth league goal of the season.
Only Bayern have scored more goals than Leverkusen, helped by Harry Kane’s 21 in 15 league games.
It’s not that Leverkusen have the most productive defence: their warring sides are too busy trying to stop their attack. There’s also Jonathan Tah, Edmond Tapsoba and Odilon Kossounou, who keep Lukas Hradecky’s goal.
“We know if we don’t play so well, if we don’t play with this personality and confidence, that we can have problems,” Alonso said before looking ahead to the winter break. “Now we’ve a bit of time to recover, and then we can start again when we return.”
Alonso will most likely have to do without five players when the league resumes on January 13 with a game in Augsburg.
The Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on the same day and Boniface (Nigeria), Tapsoba (Burkina Faso), Kossounou (Ivory Coast), Nathan Tella (Nigeria) and Amine Adli (Morocco) are likely to be called up for the Africa Cup of Nations. component of the tournament in Côte d’Ivoire.
Alonso’s line-up against Bochum hinted that he would play without the African players, and the team’s functionality showed that they could pull through.
“We’ve always said we believe in the quality of the players, and even if a few players won’t be there because of the Africa Cup, we have a very, very good squad,” said Rolfes, who didn’t rule out making winter signings.
“We have to wait and see if it’s really five players (who are called for the tournament). All five certainly won’t make it to the final or semifinals, that’s pretty much ruled out. So, we’ll keep an eye on the situation. But, basically, we have a deep squad with a lot of quality for the season.”
Leverkusen can claim the unofficial name of “autumn champion” for leading at the halfway point. Bayern, the 11-time champions, are four points behind after betting a game in hand.
“Leverkusen are in exceptional form, they have a lot of points, they deserve them all and that’s why we have to keep going,” Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said.
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