The fans provided the moment for the heart. 4,000 Bayer Leverkusen supporters who traveled to Bremen sang a serenade for their coach Xabi Alonso on his 42nd birthday after the 3-0 win at SV Werder. And the Spanish football gentleman was touched by the song. “This is a great honor and a great joy,” he said. His team later followed suit and sang for him again on the bus.
Previously, Alonso’s players had completed their task in Bremen objectively, confidently and soberly in the style of a title aspirant. And that against a Werder team that actually played well within its capabilities. But Bremen’s framework is narrow and the possibilities are limited. In contrast, the Bayer collective with its highly talented players is a team with seemingly unlimited possibilities at the moment.
The central figure for the league leaders is Alonso. As a world-class player, he won everything there was to win in football. He planned his coaching career meticulously; his future as a man on the sidelines is bright, just like his past as a professional. Since taking office in October 2022, he has raised the Bayer team to a level not seen for a long time.
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“I learn from him every day. It’s a lot of fun,” said the Swiss Granit Xhaka on the TV channel Sky. “It’s like a dream for me to be able to play under him.” National player Florian Wirtz had previously raved in the “Editorial Network Germany”: “He played at the highest level as a professional. It’s nice to have such a legend as a coach. Xabi knows exactly what makes a team tick.”
Alonso’s Bayer record this season is definitely fantastic: the success in Bremen was the eighth win in a row. The club has not yet managed such a series. After twelve match days, Leverkusen have taken 34 out of 36 possible points. Only in the game at Bayern Munich was there a 2-2 draw. They won all four games in the Europa League, as well as the two DFB Cup games.
Alonso’s work has long been registered outside the Bundesliga. Especially in his homeland. There has been speculation for weeks that he could move to his favorite club, Real Madrid, in 2024 as Carlo Ancelotti’s successor. Bayer’s sports director Simon Rolfes – the second person behind the Bayer boom alongside Alonso – is calm and believes that the sought-after Alonso will still stay in Leverkusen.
Rolfes convinced of Alonso’s loyalty
“He is here one hundred percent and is also involved in all issues that concern the further development of the club and are perhaps a little more long-term,” said Rolfes on the TV channel Bild. “That’s why I’m convinced that he’ll be with us for a long time.”
Alonso has “developed a great bond with the club,” said Rolfes, “everyone feels that, I feel that too, but also the fans and players. I think he is very happy with us. That is always the basis for a coach a decision.” That’s why Alonso extended his contract with the current Bundesliga leaders in the summer. The contract is dated until 2026.
It was clear to Alonso from the fans’ singing that the factory club was something special for him. “Feeling the connection is very important to me,” he said. The fans always supported the team. “And now to feel this special moment is very nice. I am grateful that we have built such a special connection with the fans, for now and the future.”
