CLAP End for Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen. Arrived in October 2022 on the bench of the German club, the 43 -year -old Basque coach said, Friday, May 9, that he left his post at the end of the season. Championship meetings against Dortmund, Sunday May 11, and in Mainz, Saturday, May 17, “Will be my last two”explained at a press conference the technician, whose contract was running until 2026.
“We have often talked about the right time lately to make this announcement, now it’s a good time”added the Spaniard. This departure is formalized while several Spanish and German media had said, earlier during the day, that the coach would take the direction of Real Madrid from the summer of 2025. “Xabi Alonso will be Carlo Ancelotti’s successor”head Marca. “” Alonso signs to Real until 2028! »»wrote, for his part, Bild.
The Madrid club, which is now only fighting for the title of Spanish champion, is four points behind the leader, FC Barcelona, four days before the end of the championship. A situation that would push Real to end his collaboration with Carlo Ancelotti, on the club of the club since 2021 and expected to take the reins of the Brazilian selection.
Asked about his future, Xabi Alonso was elusive: “I’m not going to talk about the future, commented the interested party. We have to appreciate this moment. There is emotion, I spoke with the players and the staff, so many people who helped me during these three incredible years. »»
First title of German champion in a hundred and twenty years
Trained at Real Sociedad, but passed through Liverpool (2004-2009), Real Madrid (2009-2014) and Bayern Munich (2014-2017), the former midfielder had started his training as a coach with the Young Teams of the Merengue, before taking the head of the Real Sociedad reserve (2019-2022).
In October 2022, he joined Bayern Leverkusen and knew his first experience as coach of a team from the five major European championships. Result: a success. He straightened Leverkusen in his first season, passing the team from the outskirts of Cologne from a relegation to a European qualification.
The following season, he won the first title of Germany Champion of Bayer04 in one hundred and twenty years of existence, not losing only one of the 34 Bundesliga matches (28 wins and 6 draws). He also won the German Cup, but failed in the Europa League final (3-0 against Atalanta Bergame), the only defeat of his team during the season.
This year, he held up to Bayern for a while, but failed to repeat the perfect season, missing the opportunity to return to contact with the Munich during the shock in mid-February (0-0). In the Champions League, Leverkusen also underwent the law of the Bavarian club in the round of 16 (5-0 in the round trip).