Not too Xabi, but there’s more work to be done says coach
Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said his unbeaten side was “not done yet” after winning its debut league title on Sunday with a treble still possible this season.
Alonso — who is in his first full season as a coach having joined Leverkusen midway through last season — told reporters after the game that the sky was the limit for his side, which is yet to lose a match in 43 games this season.
Dripping wet with beer after his players ambushed him with a soaking during the post-match news conference, the 42-year-old manager reminded everyone “it’s not over yet”.
“We’ll see how far we can go. I have a good feeling about it.”
The win sent Leverkusen 16 points clear of Bayern with five games to go, and its points total of 79 is the best after 29 games in German soccer history.
Leverkusen is through to the final of the German Cup and has a 2-0 lead after the first leg of its Europa League quarterfinal with West Ham, with the second leg to take place on Thursday.
“It’s not over yet and we’ve got great goals we still want to achieve, but we can think about that on Tuesday. Today and tomorrow, we need to celebrate.”
In late March, Alonso pledged to stay at Leverkusen another year, despite reported interest from Liverpool and Bundesliga rival Bayern Munich.
Alonso, who enjoyed a glittering playing career with Liverpool, Bayern, Real Madrid and Spain, said his experience was an advantage when working with his players.
“I want to be near the players, talk to them and, as someone who played, I know what they’re feeling.
“I have empathy and connection with the players, which is important in the dressing room. I try and keep this connection to the team.”
Leverkusen has finished second five times, but, until Sunday, a German title had remained tantalizingly out of reach.
Alonso said: “This trophy belongs to a lot of people and we have to enjoy it.”
Leverkusen’s win broke an 11-year run of Bayern dominance.
“It’s perhaps healthy for the Bundesliga, and for German football, that other teams win — and it’s a great pleasure that it’s us,” said Alonso.
Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka told reporters that coming to the club “was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life”.
Xhaka moved to Leverkusen from Arsenal in summer, having spent seven years at the Gunners.
Last season, Arsenal led the Premier League for much of the campaign, only to be caught by a treblebound Manchester City.
The Switzerland captain said: “When you start to first kick the ball as a child you think about titles.
“After seven years at Arsenal we nearly won the title last year.
“I’m very thankful to be here, I have been waiting so long for this moment.”
Florian Wirtz’s second-half hattrick sealed the victory and the 20-year-old midfielder said “at the start of the season, we couldn’t have imagined this”.
“It (the belief) came gradually when we started winning matches with a dominant style of play. We said to ourselves we could do better than just having a good season and qualify for the Champions League.”
Leverkusen winger Jonas Hofmann, 31, who won the Bundesliga for the first time after more than a decade in German soccer, was emotional.
“I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. We always pushed ourselves to the limit, that was just awesome.”