When you see results like this, you can't help but sit up and take notice. Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 Bayern Munich. If it wasn't clear yet, it is now. Xabi Alonso is the next great manager in European football and it would be crazy for Liverpool to look elsewhere for Jurgen Klopp's successor.
With this victory, Bayer Leverkusen maintained their unbeaten record in all competitions. 31 games. 27 wins. 4 draws. They currently have a five-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga and continue to do well in all aspects. Alonso is not only leading Leverkusen, who have never won the Bundesliga, to one of their best seasons in history; of Great campaigns available from any team.
It was a signature performance that will long be looked back on as one of this team's defining moments. Not since Klopp himself was at Dortmund have Bayern faced an opponent of this caliber, not only the team but the architect of their excellence.
The overall scoreline symbolized the gulf between the two teams. Leverkusen had just 38% of possession, but were perfect with and without the ball. Striker Harry Kane, who is on track to break Robert Lewandowski's Bundesliga record, has been restricted to the quietest matches. They had eight shots on target to Bayern's one and held Thomas Tuchel's side, European football's xG leaders, to just 0.27 xG.
I was reminded of more than 10 years ago when Klopp's Dortmund defeated Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid 4-1. Statement at the changing of the guard ceremony. The future has arrived.
Bayern cost less in personnel and depth than Leverkusen, but here the better-coached team suffered a bloody nose. This was no fluke. Leverkusen are a team built in Alonso's image, and he is how they did it: how they pressed and how they dominated the game by controlling space across the pitch. We have demonstrated this by explaining in great detail.
This Leverkusen team man’s passing sequence 🔥
1-2s/taveras are everywhere – so fun to see
pic.twitter.com/CjXIGjUrBa— Connor (@ConnorHolden00) February 10, 2024
After the final whistle, Alonso told ESPN FC's pitchside reporter Archie Lind-Tutt: “When to press, when to wait, who can have the ball, who can't have the ball, get the right timing. I had good control,” he said.
“Their discipline to not be dominant with the ball, but to be dominant without the ball. I think they were able to do that. Without the ball, they controlled the space, they didn't take too many chances and they took chances. Yes, the first goal was really important.
“The first thing that comes to mind is the determination and belief of the press. I have to thank them. [the players] To push them, to help them, to keep them moving forward. ”
Leverkusen's discipline, determination and belief paid off in the final moments of stoppage time, with Jeremy Frimpong adding a well-deserved cherry on the landing and Manuel Neuer outsmarting his opponents to fire a shot from range into an empty goal. I took advantage of walking around.
It was opposing wing-back Alejandro Grimaldo who doubled Leverkusen's lead early in the second half. The pair have racked up an incredible 14 goals and 15 assists in the Bundesliga this season. This is a testament to Alonso's tactical acumen. He devised a system that brought out the best in his players. The huge contribution of the two wing-backs to this team is reminiscent of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson during their primes at Antonio Conte's Chelsea, or at Liverpool.
Wow, Jeremy Frimpong, that's incredible! 🤯🤩 pic.twitter.com/RB5hJJ8g4l
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 10, 2024
Bayern were so comprehensively defeated that club legend Thomas Müller, who played just 30 minutes, made no secret of his thoughts as Bayern desperately chased down the lead. Leverkusen's masterclass forced the 34-year-old to look deep inside and ask himself what he lacks compared to his team-mates.
“Of course there are some symptoms on the pitch. To be honest, I'm fed up,” said the veteran Germany international. sky germany After the final whistle.
“In the words of Oliver Kahn, what our players miss is the ball in the game. We have shown a significantly better approach in training. It's okay to feel pressure, but energy And we need freedom. That's what's missing in our game.
“Sometimes we have to talk about the players. It's not just about the coaches.
“We have a lot of top-level international players so we need to step up our game.”
Thomas Muller said this in an interview today after Bayern lost 3-0 to Leverkusen.
“We're seeing some symptoms on the pitch as well and I'm honestly angry as a result of that. What we're missing, and that's why I say publicly, is a better approach in training. It's about showing. pic.twitter.com/323rN1sImG
— Donotdistubr (@donotdistubr) February 11, 2024
“Ever since Xabi Alonso started being talked about as a manager in Germany, people have been thinking about the possibility of him going to either Liverpool, Bayern or Real Madrid one day,” said German soccer expert Raphael Honigstein. said. TNT Sports Early this week.
“Klopp's announcement accelerates that discussion and opens the door for a job that I'm sure he would very much like, especially given Liverpool's stable background. Whoever they bring in next may have the longevity and run of Klopp.
“That opportunity, that flow, doesn't come around very often and you see Xabi Alonso jumping at it when Liverpool think he deserves it. How can he turn them down? I don’t know if I can do it.”
The answer to what Liverpool need to do this summer is clear. Alonso is the best candidate for the job. Passing his latest audition was just the latest proof.
However, his reputation is so great that he could face stiff competition from other ex-lovers for his signature. The result puts even more pressure on Bayern's Thomas Tuchel. Real Madrid are on the rise and Carlo Ancelotti only recently signed a new contract, but an exit from the Champions League would suddenly change the situation at the Bernabéu dramatically.
There are still many races left. However, Alonso seems to have turned Bayer Neverkusen into genuine winners.The way his team destroyed Bayern makes you wonder why they are Europe's biggest club. probably won't We are fighting hard to secure his services.
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