THE EURO FILES: Xabi Alonso’s the actual deal because the charming former Liverpool star has Bayer Leverkusen flying… so how lengthy till the Spanish giants come calling?
Xabi Alonso this week clocked up precisely one yr as coach of Bayer Leverkusen, and his staff marked it with a win that retains them high of their Europa League group.
Leverkusen gambled on the untried former Liverpool midfielder final season after sacking Gerardo Seoane following a 2-0 defeat by Porto within the Champions League. They have been seventeenth within the Bundesliga. They’re now high.
And it isn’t simply that Alonso has put them high. The 41-year-old has put himself high. Prime of Real Madrid’s want checklist as the person to interchange Carlo Ancelotti on the finish of the season. Prime of Bayern Munich’s want checklist if it doesn’t work out with Thomas Tuchel. And high of Liverpool’s checklist of coaches past the reign of Jurgen Klopp.
Tactically, Alonso has acquired Leverkusen enjoying quick, attacking soccer however first, says the membership’s sporting director Simon Rolfes, he confirmed his man-management expertise by lifting the gamers off the ground when he arrived.
‘Due to the psychological state again then, it took some time for them to develop in confidence,’ he says of the turnaround that noticed Leverkusen end sixth and attain the Europa League semi-finals.
Xabi Alonso has marked the yr anniversary of taking up as Bayer Leverkusen supervisor
Bayer Leverkusen are flying beneath Alonso with the staff at present main the Bundesliga
Alonso’s spectacular work at Bayer has seen the membership emerge as rivals to Bayern Munich
Alonso is sensible and charming in every part he does. In his pre-match press convention earlier than the midweek sport in opposition to Molde, he politely informed the translator she needed to translate his solutions into Norwegian not German. He had already answered in German.
‘If you’ll simply repeat me, then provide you with a greater reply than I’ve,’ he mentioned with a smile.
He speaks fluent German now — one other web page copied from the managerial guide of his tutors Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Ancelotti; converse their language, it can assist you win their league. Can he win the Bundesliga?
On Sunday his staff play their regional rivals, Cologne, 16 locations beneath them, and it’s a measure of what Alonso has achieved in such a brief house of time that they go into that sport with a number of grumbles concerning the method of their final win. Alonso rested seven gamers for the 2-1 victory in opposition to the Norwegian champions on Thursday. Within the league, it has been 5 wins and a draw within the opening six matches.
‘We have been a bit too relaxed. That’s not good,’ mentioned Alonso after the Molde win. ‘It additionally occurred in opposition to Häcken (their final Europa League rivals, who they beat 4-0). Now we have to consider that.’
Former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka, reborn as midfielder-leader beneath Alonso, mentioned: ‘That’s what distinguishes a high staff — that you just additionally win video games the place possibly you don’t shine.’
If Alonso does win the league, would there be a mic drop and a flight straight to Madrid? He has a contract till 2026. Madrid haven’t approached him or his membership but. ‘We’re in September,’ he mentioned two weeks in the past when requested concerning the rumours. ‘It’s not a difficulty.’
Ancelotti will depart in the summertime and to borrow the phrases of Mourinho, who would like to be Madrid’s first selection however is aware of he now not is: You don’t must be a ‘soccer Einstein’ to know who their high decide is.
Actual Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is anticipated to go away the membership on the finish of the season
Former Actual star Alonso has been seen as the right candidate to succeed Ancelotti
Kane’s new Bayern wingman hailed by Muller
Harry Kane has a brand new wingman at Bayern Munich and he has the potential to be among the finest, in line with Thomas Muller. Regardless of solely beginning one sport up to now this season, 18-year-old Mathys Tel has scored six targets, the newest incomes Bayern a win over Copenhagen within the Champions League.
In simply 231 minutes he has additionally managed two assists, though that’s not essentially going to be his forte, believes Muller.
‘If we keep in mind Arjen Robben,’ he mentioned. ‘We additionally typically thought that he ought to have seen the person subsequent to him however he was so centered on scoring that he acquired a number of targets. Mathys ought to proceed to do his factor.’ In different phrases, he’s grasping — lengthy could it final.
Bayern teenager Mathys Tel has scored six targets this season regardless of making just one begin
Morata lastly appears the half for Simeone
Diego Simeone as soon as requested referee Cesar Soto Grado if he had something private in opposition to Alvaro Morata, the reply he acquired again was: ‘He exaggerates an excessive amount of.’
Simeone shared the anecdote with reporters, which appeared to recommend he may even agree.
Morata has by no means been his supervisor’s thought of the right striker. Final season, he admitted nonetheless lacking Diego Costa. And someplace between the snarling Brazilian and the impassive purpose machine Radamel Falcao is the Atletico supervisor’s preferrred centre ahead.
Morata has all the time been a pleasant however delicate man. Possibly an excessive amount of so at instances to cope with issues high gamers must cope with, like strikes overseas when nonetheless younger.
He cried at Juventus when issues have been going mistaken and was informed by Gianluigi Buffon, on the remedy desk subsequent to him: ‘Put it aside for residence, public tears solely please your critics and upset your backers.’
He was solely 20 on the time. He’s 31 this month and it stays tough to categorise his profession.
Alvaro Morata might be on the right track for his finest season but after a powerful begin to the marketing campaign
The very fact Actual Madrid, Juventus, Milan, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid have all at completely different instances needed him is a testomony to his expertise.
The very fact they’ve additionally been keen to let him go is a reminder of his shortcomings. He has by no means scored 20 league targets in a season however one thing feels completely different about this marketing campaign.
He has 10 targets in 10 video games for membership and nation in all competitions. Simeone has set him the goal of 18 in La Liga and he already has 5 in 4 begins.
And it isn’t simply the targets. ‘That is the Morata we’d like,’ Simeone mentioned after the Spaniard scored twice to win the Madrid derby. He could also be at the beginning of his finest season ever — and that may solely be good for Atletico.
Jude ‘the brand new Di Stefano’ as he maintains purple patch
After his eighth purpose in 9 video games in midweek, Jude Bellingham was likened to Alfredo Di Stefano, Cristiano Ronaldo and Moses (the Previous Testomony prophet who parted the Crimson Sea, not the Eighties midfielder Remi).
The Ronaldo comparability had extra to do together with his purpose celebration being mimicked by everybody from college youngsters to fellow professionals.
The Di Stefano likeness carried extra weight coming from Spanish soccer historian Alfredo Relaño, who wrote: ‘He’s simply as elegant (as Di Stefano) in the way in which he runs and makes use of the ball and simply as ferocious in the way in which he wins it again.’
Jude Bellingham was likened to Alfredo Di Stefano after an eighth purpose in 9 matches
Two Legia Warsaw gamers arrested amid AZ Alkmaar unrest
Violent scenes marred one other AZ Alkmaar Europa Convention League fixture, this time with two gamers from their opponents arrested.
Legia Warsaw’s Radovan Pankov and Josue Pesqueira have been taken off the staff bus after Alkmaar’s 1-0 win.
Conflicting tales have emerged, with claims from the Dutch aspect that the pair have been concerned in an assault.
Counter-claims from the Polish aspect say heavy-handed stewarding provoked the difficulty.
Alkmaar have been fined €80,000 (£69,000) after final season’s European Convention semi-final second leg when thugs attacked an space wherein West Ham gamers’ family and friends have been seated.
Two Legia Warsaw gamers have been taken off their staff bus and arrested after their Europa League tie
