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E-mail Xinhua, December 10, 2024
Spanish star coach Xabi Alonso has lifted his team Leverkusen's efficiency to new heights this season.
Ahead of the UEFA Champions League encounter against unbeaten Inter Milan, the 2024 German champion seems back on track after a bumpy season start.
Arthur (L) of Bayer 04 Leverkusen vies with Oladapo Afolayan of FC St. Pauli during the first division of Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC St. Pauli in Leverkusen, Germany, Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo by Ulrich Hufnagel/Xinhua)
Five consecutive league victories have increased confidence in rejoining the 2025 German title race next to Bayer's international goals.
Far off the previous season's easiness, Leverkusen has developed a threatening determination to take narrow wins.
While carried by a wave of enthusiasm leading to the club's first national championship last season, things needed readjustment in the current campaign.
Injury losses in the person of the spearheads Victor Boniface and Patrik Schick have burdened Leverkusen's path lately with genius Florian Wirtz trying to make up for their absence.
Fuelled by the prestigious Cup victory in Munich, Alonso is talking about the new "joy" of surviving daily league grinds.
"We don't take things as naturally granted; we have internalized it may be taking a different approach to return to success," the 43-year-old said.
The Spaniard is hoping that rumors about possible departures don't burden his team's progress. So far, the team seems to manage to keep speculations off their back.
While Alonso is said to be connected to Real and succeeding Carlo Ancelotti, the future of German genius Wirtz and defender Jonathan Tah remains in limbo.
Speculations talk of Wirtz possibly following Alonso when the Spaniard is returning to his home country next summer. Reports speak of a transfer amount of up to 150 million euros for the German offensive midfielder. Tah is said to be on Barcelona's list.
If Wirtz decides to leave, Leverkusen is said to favor a move abroad to avoid strengthening national rival Bayern. The Bavarians are expected to go all in regarding Wirtz but seem to have to go beyond their usual borders as extensions for Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich already require financial challenges.
So far, Alonso managed to stay in a bubble of independency with his team despite outside storms.
Facing Inter, the Spaniard is hoping for the return of spearhead Schick, while he is also said to be considering appointing Nathan Tella and creating a line-up without a traditional box striker.
