May 17, 2023, 3:27 PM
May 17, 2023, 3:27 PM
Xabi Alonso, Bayern coach Leverkusen of the Bundesliga, denied speculation about his future and said that he is fully focused on his current club. Alonso, who managed to get Leverkusen out of the relegation zone and took it close to the European competition sites, dismissed rumors linking him to some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
The Spanish coach, 41, has enjoyed a successful start to his first Bundesliga coaching job. “I am very happy with the team and the club. I don’t think at all about my future,” Alonso said ahead of Thursday’s Europa League semifinal match against Roma. “I’m completely focused on what I want and I’ve talked to everyone involved.” Asked if that meant he will coach Leverkusen next season, Alonso replied: “yes, that’s correct.”
Xabi Alonso, whose contract with Leverkusen runs until 2024, has been linked as a possible replacement for Carlo Ancelotti at his former club Real Madrid or Premier League side Tottenham. Leverkusen was second from bottom in the Bundesliga when Alonso replaced the sacked Gerardo Seoane last October. Since then, he has led the team to seventh place with two rounds remaining, while a place in the Europa League final is still possible.
Leverkusen need to reverse a 1-0 deficit against Roma when he hosts the Italian team in the second leg on Thursday. “The first game was very close. We can expect more tomorrow,” Alonso said. “Small details will be important. But I feel the energy of the team and if we give everything on the pitch, we can be proud after the game.”
