Xabi Alonso's perfectionist nature never lets up, even with Bayer Leverkusen's impressive 24-match unbeaten streak. "He always wants more," says sports director Simon Rolfes, cracking a grin. "He's satisfied after the game," claims Rolfes, "but you always have to stay on your toes during the game."
Following a 5:1 win against Molde FK, Alonso admitted, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, of course. I would have preferred 5-0." After a 3-0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt, he echoed, "We always want more."
Uli Hoeneß, Bayern Munich's honorary president, views Bayer Leverkusen as a serious contender in the battle for the Bundesliga title. With qualification for the Europa League quarter-finals, Leverkusen is also a strong title contender, having not lost a single match yet.
Alonso's influence is felt by the entire team. "Xabi knows what a dressing room needs," says club boss Fernando Carro. "The players listen to him." Even Granit Xhaka, Bayer Leverkusen's team leader, accepts the praise. "Watching Xabi Alonso play soccer, I learned a lot."
Xhaka highlights Alonso's ability to refine even the most basic concepts, preparing good midfielders to become elite ones. Bayer Leverkusen's success is rooted in simple yet high-pressure game tactics, with high pressing, a lot of movement, and a restricted opponent's room to breathe.
The team delights in their pursuit of soccer's smaller details, enabling them to balance offense and defense with impressive results. "It looks easier than it is," agrees Xhaka. "But anyone could do it if it was that easy."
In essence, Xabi Alonso masterfully employs a potent mix of tactics to outmaneuver opponents and transform ordinary players into exceptional talents.
Specific Insights:
- Alonso employs an aggressive man-to-man pressing strategy, which forces Bayern Munich into making errors in possession.
- The coach often switches to a 4-2-3-1 formation while maintaining defensive shape against strong competition such as Bayern Munich.
- Alonso can manage his players effectively, appreciating both constructive criticism and praise when required.
- Leverkusen's strength lies in their simple yet high-pressure game style, which creates mismatches and exploits pace advantages.
- The team specializes in counter-attacks, using goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecký's long kicks to unleash their blistering pace-forward duo, Nathan Tella, and other fast players.
- Alonso maintains defensive stability while applying pressure, swiftly changing tactical approaches mid-match.
- Florian Wirtz's intelligent movement incorporates both offense and defense, disrupting the opposing team's organization and enabling swift attacks.
