Harry Kane has been scoring for fun at Bayern Munich, yet his first league title may still evade him – and it’s all down to one team.
Bayer Leverkusen are currently on course to upset the Bundesliga applecart. They are at the summit of the top division in German football, having recorded 12 wins and three draws, while also hammering home 74 goals in all competitions. They have been revolutionised by former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso, 42, who inherited a side second from bottom of the Bundesliga when he replaced Gerardo Seoane in October 2022.
Not only have they become a winning machine, they are also playing a wonderful style of football, enabling them to score bucket loads of goals while shipping next to none at the other end. As the 2002 Champions League finalists continue to get even better, Daily Star Sport takes a look at Alonso’s incredible work.
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When Alonso arrived, Leverkusen were at serious risk of their first relegation since their disastrous 1972-73 campaign. Fans were nervous when they turned to Alonso who, while enjoying a marvellous playing career, had zero experience managing a senior team.
Before he took over the reins at the BayArena, his only taste of management was being in charge of the Real Madrid youth team and Real Sociedad B. After starting with a ruthless 4-0 victory over Schalke, Alonso’s side would go on to lose 5-1 away to Eintracht Frankfurt, draw 2-2 with Wolfsburg and lose 2-0 away to RB Leipzig over their next three matches.
As fans began to grow nervous, Alonso’s side suddenly went on an incredible five match Bundesliga winning streak, overcoming Union Berlin, FC Koln, VFB Stuttgart, Borussia Monchengladbach and VFL Bochum. By the end of the campaign, not only did Leverkusen comfortably survive, they managed to secure a place in the Europa League by finishing in sixth position.
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At the start of the 2023-24 campaign, Alonso had to say goodbye to star man Moussa Diaby, who was plucked by Aston Villa in an enormous £51.9m deal. This fee was re-invested by signing Granit Xhaka from Arsenal, Nathan Tella, who had just been relegated with Southampton, Jonas Hofmann from Monchengladbach, Arthur from Brazilian giants América Futebol Clube and Victor Boniface from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.
Not only have all players justified their fees, Boniface has hammered home nine goals in 15 appearances, making him the fourth highest goalscorer in the division. Moreover, left-wing-back Alejandro Grimaldo has turned into a prodigal goalscorer, contributing seven goals in 15 appearances.
Midfield genius Florian Wirtz, 20, who was heavily linked with Manchester City and Chelsea until he tore his ACL in March, has rediscovered his fitness and form with five goals and six assists in 15 Bundesliga matches.
Most impressively, Leverkusen are the only team in Europe’s top five leagues to have not lost a single match in all competitions. They have beaten RB Leipzig and drawn with Bayern and Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
In the Europa League they breezed into the Last-16 by winning all six matches against Hacken, Molde FK and Qarabag, scoring 19 goals and only conceding three. With Bayern out of the DFB-Pokal, they are also the strong favourites to win the German domestic trophy.
If Alonso’s side maintain this current form, not only could they deprive Kane of his first league title, they could even record a historic treble. Across the whole of Europe, Leverkusen are certainly the team to watch.
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