DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) — From the relegation zone to the highest of the standings. Not a foul first 12 months in cost for Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen.
Alonso marked his first anniversary on the German membership on Thursday and has a sport in opposition to native rival Koln on Sunday, one other check of Leverkusen’s credentials to problem Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title.
“That milestone means one thing to me,” Alonso stated Wednesday. “Loads has occurred in that point, largely constructive. The report is nice and each the workforce and our sport have continued to develop.”
A World Cup and Champions League winner as a participant, Alonso had by no means coached a membership’s first workforce till he was appointed at Leverkusen on Oct. 5, 2022. On the time, Leverkusen had slumped to seventeenth within the 18-team league underneath predecessor Gerardo Seoane.
One 12 months later, Leverkusen is in first place after climbing to the highest of the standings final week with a 3-0 win over Mainz as Bayern dropped factors in a 2-2 draw with Leipzig. Alonso additionally gained reward for reaching the Europa League semifinals final season earlier than a slim loss to Jose Mourinho-coached Roma.
A squad of younger, formidable gamers have been key to Leverkusen’s rise, with Alonso getting probably the most out of the likes of German playmaker Florian Wirtz and speedy Dutch proper again Jeremie Frimpong, who signed a brand new contract by 2028 on Tuesday. Victor Boniface has scored eight targets in eight video games because the Nigerian striker signed from Union Saint-Gilloise in July.
Alonso marked his anniversary in Leverkusen within the unfamiliar environment of Molde, a city of 20,000 folks in Norway the place the workforce was enjoying a Europa League sport.
Sunday’s sport at house to Koln — known as the Rhine derby due to the river working between Leverkusen and Koln — appears deceptively simple within the standings however may show something however. Koln has just one level from its opening six video games however has saved its greatest performances for its largest opponents, together with a 1-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund on an 88th-minute aim in its first sport of the season.
A win over Koln performed a key function in getting Alonso established in Leverkusen a 12 months in the past, too. He had just one win from his first seven video games in all competitions however turned it round by hammering then-league chief Union Berlin 5-0 and following up with a 2-1 win over Koln.
Alonso’s report over the past 12 months has fueled hypothesis he may very well be a contender to take over at his outdated membership Actual Madrid when Carlo Ancelotti’s contract runs out on the finish of the season. Alonso signed a contract extension at Leverkusen to 2026 in August in an indication he is sticking round, for now at the least.
“It is too early” to speak about future steps, Alonso stated final week when requested about Madrid.
Additionally this weekend in Germany, Bayern hosts Freiburg on Sunday on the lookout for a return to dominant kind after the draw with Leipzig final week and a hard-fought 2-1 win over Copenhagen within the Champions League on Tuesday.
Dortmund takes on Union Berlin on Saturday. Neither workforce has been spectacular thus far this season, however Union is in deeper bother after its 3-2 loss to Braga on an added-time aim Tuesday prolonged its dropping run to 6 video games in all competitions. Leipzig is coming off a 3-1 to loss to European champion Manchester Metropolis because it readies to host Bochum on Saturday.
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