After a glorious career playing in midfield for Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, life in management was in real a slow starter. Instead of an instant jump to become a manager at a major club in Europe, he started his coaching career at a more modest level. Whilst completing his UEFA Elite coaching course alongside former compatriots Raúl, Xavi, Víctor Valdés, and Joan Capdevila, Alonso returned to Real Madrid where he assumed a role coaching the Real Madrid U14s.
In 2019 he took up the vacant position as B coach for Real Sociedad. He left this role in the summer of 2022, and later in the year being approched by Bayer Leverkusen, taking the role as head coach, as they were 2nd to bottom.
He turned the fortunes around at Bayer Leverkusen in the most clever way guiding the club to 6th place last season in Bundesliga as well as reaching a semi-final in Europe.
This season has been one incredible for Xabi Alonso and his Bayer Leverkusen, cruising through the Bundesliga without defeat, this has of course started speculations about his future, with former clubs Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Real Madrid all said to have him as a man to consider. However, on 29 March 2024, Alonso reaffirmed his commitment to Bayer Leverkusen by announcing his decision to stay on till the end of the 2024–25 season. The following day, Leverkusen beat Hoffenheim 2–1 to go 13 points clear of 33 time champions and 11 time consecutive Bundesliga winners Bayern Munich. On 14 April, Alonso led Leverkusen to a 5–0 win over Werder Bremen to clinch their first ever Bundesliga title, which was also the first German championship for the club.
Looking at this achievement and how it was done, you must go into the deep to find the clever acts among the details in his work, one is recruitment another is guidence and coaching.
They sold one major asset last summer, right winger Moussa Diaby to Aston Villa for a fee of €55million. Midfielder Mitchel Bakker left to join Atalanta in Serie A for a fee of €9.50million.
They made a number of great signings, bringing in the likes of Granit Xaka from Arsenal, paying only €15million for him. Victor Boniface joined from Union SG in Belgium for a fee of €20,5million. The top signing was Nathan Tella coming from Southampton for a fee of €23,3million.
This added major quality to the side and gave them an even better balance to work from and to settle their team with full effect.
The policy at Bayer Leverkusen is to sell a major asset every season to be able to develope the team further, without that sale, this club will not be able to go into the transfer market with the power they need to be in progress.
They do have players at this point that will be potential buys, with defender Jonathan Tah a special man, midfielder Florian Wirtz is among the most talented youngsters in the German game, still only 20 years of age and one also considered, but we believe he will stay on at least another season.
It will be interesting to follow Bayer Leverkusen on their mission as we do hope that is not the end of chasing Bundesliga trophies as they hopefully will guide their success the best way possible.
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