In Leverkusen there is once again a great cinema: only after conceding two goals does the champion wake up and overwhelm the opponent. But rumors of coach Xabi Alonso’s departure are clouding the joy of the victory. The CEO becomes clear.
21 minutes had been played on Saturday and it seemed as if it was going to be a very bitter afternoon. 1. FC Heidenheim led 2-0 in Leverkusen. Surprising, of course, but deserved. But then the champions and cup winners picked up speed, really – and turned the game around. In the end it was 5:2, including a hat-trick from Patrik Schick. He scored in the 32nd, 52nd and 71st minutes.
The celebration afterwards was correspondingly great, especially since the Werkself had to complain about another loss at short notice. This morning the club reported that Jonas Hofmann would be out until the end of the year. He is suffering from a muscle injury. In addition, Victor Boniface and Amine Adli were unable to play due to injuries.
“We got three points in a difficult game,” said Leverkusen’s goalscorer Schick: “The three goals were important for me.” Coach Xabi Alonso criticized the first phase of the game, in which his team was not good. “We should have had better control,” complained the coach: “But then we showed our level and our mentality.”
“These speculations annoy me,” says the CEO
Like so many times last season. But things often ran smoothly and there were hardly any background noises. Completely in contrast to the current season. On Saturday, managing director Fernando Carro commented on the rumors about a possible advance deal with Real Madrid for coach Xabi Alonso. “What I can definitely deny 100% is that there is any security or agreement,” Carro told Sky: “Nothing has been set yet.”
Recently there had been increasing media reports about a possible move by the Spaniard Alonso to his former club Real. Among other things, the Spanish broadcaster Eurosport España reported that Alonso would be leaving Leverkusen in the summer. According to information from “Bild”, Alonso, who played for Real from 2009 to 2014, is likely to move after this season and thus a year before the end of his contract in Leverkusen.
“From time to time I have the impression that journalists act like futurologists and know the future better than those who are affected,” said Carro: “These speculations annoy me because I know that they are not true. The next season is unimportant for now anyway and there is no agreement. Xabi Alonso has a contract with us for now. Point!”
According to Carro’s own statement, the transfer speculation surrounding national player Florian Wirtz “actually leaves him cold”. As long as the 21-year-old offensive star feels comfortable in Leverkusen and can celebrate success, “he is happy,” added Carro, whose hopes of staying are “very high.” “Why shouldn’t they be high?”
LaGa with dpa