BERLIN (AP) — Xabi Alonso has transformed Bayer Leverkusen from a relegation candidate to unbeaten Bundesliga leader in just over a year since taking over.
Alonso’s team won 22 of its 35 games in the Bundesliga in 2023 — a club record within a calendar year.
Highly regarded as a classy midfielder for Real Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Sociedad, Alonso was untested as a coach at a major club until Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes entrusted him with the team in October last year.
Leverkusen was second from bottom in the Bundesliga with just five points from its opening eight games, already knocked out in the first round of the German Cup, and struggling in the Champions League.
After starting with a 4-0 rout of Schalke, Alonso had to wait for his ideas to take hold as the team failed to win any of its next six games. But then it clicked into gear with a 5-0 rout of then-leader Union Berlin In November 2022. It was the result Alonso needed to restore confidence and belief to the side.
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 hasn’t lost any of its 25 games across all competitions this season. It has won all but three games.
“We wanted to play a good opening half to the season, but of course, even the most optimistic would not have thought we’d do it so well,” Alonso said. “We’re in this situation, we’ll enjoy it, but we want to keep going. We don’t want to stop.”
Leverkusen is playing arguably the most attractive soccer in the league. Speedy wing backs Jeremie Frimpong and Álex Grimaldo launch relentless attacks from the sides, Granit Xhaka brings his experience in the center, and Florian Wirtz conjures his magic up front. The 20-year-old Wirtz has scored eight goals and set up 12 more across all competitions this season.
But Alonso also has alternatives in his squad.
Against Bochum on Wednesday, he opted to start Patrik Schick instead of Victor Boniface for the first time in the Bundesliga this season. The Czech forward responded with a first-half hat trick. Boniface had to wait for his substitute entrance before getting his 10th league goal of the season.
Only Bayern has more goals than Leverkusen, helped by Harry Kane’s remarkable 21 in 15 league appearances.
It’s no coincidence that Leverkusen has the best defense – opponents are too busy trying to stop its attack. It also has Jonathan Tah, Edmond Tapsoba and Odilon Kossounou guarding 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 likely have to do without up to five players when the league resumes on Jan. 13 with a game at Augsburg.
The African Cup of Nations starts the same day, and Boniface (Nigeria), Tapsoba (Burkina Faso), Kossounou (Ivory Coast), Nathan Tella (Nigeria) and Amine Adli (Morocco) are all likely to called up to play at the tournament in Ivory Coast.
Alonso’s lineup against Bochum hinted at how he will play without the African players, and the team’s performance showed it can cope.
“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 title of ‘autumn champion’ for leading at the halfway stage. Bayern, the 11-time defending champion, is four points behind having played a game less.
“Leverkusen is in exceptional form, has a lot of points, deserves them all, and that’s why we have to keep working on ourselves and keep at it,” Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said.
