Xabi Alonso will remain as coach of Bayer Leverkusen and put an end to speculation that linked him to Liverpool or Bayern Munich, who will soon have vacancies.
“This club is the right place for me,” Alonso said at a press conference on Friday.
The 42-year-old Spanish coach said the desire to succeed with Bundesliga leaders Leverkusen is one of the key reasons for staying.
“I am a young coach, it is my first stage as a first coach in professional football,” he indicated. “I want to help the team and the players continue to develop and, at the same time, I am looking forward to gaining more experience as a coach.”
“My work here is far from over and we still have a lot to do,” he added.
Alonso said he reflected on his future during the last international break before informing his club.
Leverkusen is on track to win its first Bundesliga title, with a 10-point lead over Bayern Munich with eight games remaining. The team, which was in the relegation zone when Alonso took over in October 2022, remains unbeaten this season in all competitions.
Due to this, Alonso has become one of the most sought-after technicians in the world. He has two seasons left on his contract with Leverkusen. This is Alonso’s first opportunity in charge of a first division team and the former midfielder has emphasized that he continues to learn.
Alonso played for Bayern and Liverpool. Both clubs are looking for new coaches for the next campaign.
Bayern will part with the services of Thomas Tuchel, largely due to having fallen so far behind Leverkusen, and Jurgen Klopp decided to resign as Liverpool manager after nine years.
Alonso declined to talk about whether he had contacts with Bayern or Liverpool.
“It is not right to comment on other clubs when they find themselves in this situation. “They are clubs with which I have strong ties, but I am in the place where I want to be,” he said.
But Alonso says he wants to make Leverkusen a contender in the Champions League, as it is almost confirmed that they will compete in Europe’s top club tournament next season.
“Everyone here has treated me with respect and that is exactly what I wanted to give back,” Alonso said. “I want to thank the management, my players and, above all, our fans, who have supported us unconditionally at all times.”
In Liverpool, Klopp indicated that he understands Alonso’s decision after having gone through a similar situation. The German coach extended his contract with Borussia Dortmund in 2013 despite interest from other clubs.
“I went through the same thing and made that same decision, and I never regretted it,” Klopp said at a news conference ahead of Liverpool’s game against Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday. “The club is having a great season. Leverkusen has a great squad, they are probably not going to dismantle it.”
Leverkusen’s next match is this Saturday against Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga. With this duel they begin a series of eight games in 29 days in which they will also play the semifinal of the German Cup and the quarterfinals of the Europa League.
“Two crucial months await us, starting with tomorrow’s important match against Hoffenheim,” Alonso said.
Source: AP
2024-03-29 23:00:32
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