There had been some indicators over current weeks that Xabi Alonso and his Bayer Leverkusen facet had been beginning to run out of steam of their pursuit of the Bundesliga title. They wanted last-minute winners towards Augsburg and RB Leipzig in back-to-back league matches, there was a disappointing 0-0 draw with Borussia Gladbach after which yet one more stoppage-time winner within the DFB Pokal towards VfB Stuttgart.
On one hand, their means to grind out outcomes reveals they’ve the best mentality. However these last-gasp wins simply aren’t sustainable. The worry was that having wanted to dig deep in so many matches over current weeks, the sport towards reigning champions Bayern Munich would possibly’ve simply come on the unsuitable time.
Leverkusen welcomed Thomas Tuchel’s crew to the BayArena on Saturday night. They knew a win would open up a five-point hole on the high of the desk whereas defeat would see the Munich juggernauts leapfrog their hosts into high spot. This conflict was doubtlessly pivotal within the race for the title.
Few would’ve envisioned what occurred on Saturday night. B04 romped to a 3-0 win. With simply 13 video games to play, Leverkusen have a five-point benefit. Not solely that, Alonso showcased his tactical nous as a supervisor to utterly nullify the guests.
Heading into the sport, Bayer had been ranked first for possession and passes per 90 within the Bundesliga. On this match, nevertheless, Leverkusen completed having had simply 39% possession whereas they tried 344 passes to Bayern’s 579. Alonso likes his crew to regulate matches and whereas that is often performed through the ball, it may be performed with out it.
Afterwards, Alonso spoke about this in his post-match interview with ESPN.
“The very first thing that involves thoughts is just not being so dominant with the ball, however to be dominant with out the ball. “I feel that with out the ball, now we have been capable of management the areas. For positive, the primary aim was actually vital however the conviction and the dedication of the gamers is what involves my thoughts first.
“At present, for me, the defensive work of Nathan [Tella], Flo [Wirtz] and Amine Adli [the team’s attackers] has been improbable, as a result of after they select the best time to press the centre-back and when they should reduce the go into the midfielders, they weren’t leaping to create the house the place [Leroy] Sané and [Jamal] Musiala had been — they had been ready to search out this house. And [Harry] Kane was dropping — he likes to drop, so now we have taken many proper choices of when and the place to press. Due to that, now we have been capable of management the sport.”
🛡️ Unbeaten groups in Europe’s high 5 leagues this season:
◎ Bayer Leverkusen
That is it. ✅ pic.twitter.com/LeFafuf2ck
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) February 12, 2024
It was a commanding efficiency by the hosts. They restricted Bayern, the top-scoring crew within the Bundesliga, to only one effort on the right track.
It’s much more spectacular when you think about the noise surrounding Alonso’s future. The previous Spanish playmaker is being linked with a return to Merseyside to succeed Jurgen Klopp.
Whereas he’s solely in his first full season as a supervisor in one in all Europe’s high 5 leagues, there are parallels between the one-time midfield maestro and the German tactician.
Klopp reworked the top-flight of German soccer together with his gegenpressing fashion, one thing adopted by many groups since. Alonso has put his stamp on issues this season, taking part in soccer that Bayern struggled to do at occasions beneath Pep Guardiola.
Each Alonso and Klopp managed to kind a pure reference to the supporters and the gamers. Each are additionally fast to level in direction of the significance of their teaching employees. In a current interview, Klopp highlighted that Pep Lijnders and Vitor Matos had been pushing for Conor Bradley to get an opportunity whereas Alonso made positive his teaching crew had been a part of the celebrations after the 3-0 win over Bayern.
There’s a transparent identification, a transparent appreciation of others and a need to develop gamers. It’s straightforward to know precisely why Alonso is seemingly the favorite to exchange Klopp at Anfield. They’ve very totally different personalities and taking part in kinds however every little thing else about them as managers is remarkably comparable.
If Alonso does information Leverkusen to the title, he’ll develop into the primary non-Bayern boss to take action since Klopp with Borussia Dortmund in 2012.
Liverpool typically search for marginal positive aspects. They will’t compete financially with some rivals within the Premier League so that they take a look at methods they will eke 10% extra out of gamers. Klopp does it. Alonso is displaying he can do it too, and that might nicely be why FSG are seemingly wanting to carry him on this summer season.
What Bayer are doing is exceptional. They’ve conceded simply 14 objectives in 21 matches and are but to lose within the Bundesliga this time period. They’re into the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal and topped their Europa League group with six wins from six. He’s bought them competing on all fronts. Alonso is passing each check with flying colors. It’s exhausting to see who else apart from him may succeed Klopp as Liverpool supervisor.
