Bayer Leverkusen’s stadium now sits alongside Xabi Alonso Avenue, a reputation embraced by followers who just lately lined the street to welcome the famend coach and his crew.
This celebratory scene preceded Leverkusen’s decisive 5-0 victory over Werder Bremen, securing the membership’s first Bundesliga title.
“The way to the stadium was unbelievable. You can feel that the fans were totally ready, totally convinced that we will do it,” Alonso mentioned.
After getting via a crowd celebrating as if Leverkusen had already gained, Alonso’s job was to handle his squad’s feelings. “We spoke in the locker room that we have to transform this energy into positive energy.”
The renaming is not official – not but, anyway. For now, it is only a matter of a fan’s sticker over the signal on what’s nonetheless formally Bismarckstrasse. But if Alonso can end the season with the German Cup and Europa League, who is aware of? All that in his first job in a senior head coach position.
Alonso instructions prompt respect within the locker room as a Champions League and World Cup-winning participant who labored with virtually the entire greatest names in teaching. He’s given a gaggle of gamers with very completely different profession trajectories the self-belief to tackle Bayern and the ways to take the champion aside.
Alonso refused to speak in regards to the title for months, even after beating Bayern 3-0 in February to open up a lead which solely bought bigger. “We didn’t speak too much about the title in our locker room, but we all had it in our head,” he mentioned Sunday.
Before sealing the Bundesliga title, Leverkusen had already gained one other huge victory over Bayern and Liverpool final month when Alonso mentioned he would keep for subsequent season regardless of curiosity from two of the largest golf equipment round. A potential emptiness in a yr’s time at Real Madrid could show tempting, too.
Bayern’s new sporting director Max Eberl singled out Alonso for reward, whereas additionally vowing to hit again on the sector subsequent season.
“Special congratulations to Xabi Alonso, his coaching staff, and the whole team,” Eberl mentioned in an announcement. “Your football has thrilled the Bundesliga. FC Bayern’s streak has been snapped, but we will now put everything toward getting on the attack again.”
After Leverkusen stretched its German file unbeaten run to 43 video games throughout all competitions this season, Alonso mentioned he’d give the crew Sunday and Monday to rejoice earlier than the exhausting work begins once more. On Thursday comes a visit to London as Leverkusen goals to carry onto its 2-0 lead from the Europa League quarterfinals first leg towards West Ham.
There’s a German Cup closing to win on May 25 – towards second-division Kaiserslautern. And the small matter of Borussia Dortmund subsequent week within the Bundesliga, certainly one of 5 video games separating Leverkusen from the league’s first-ever unbeaten season.
For now, Alonso is having fun with his success, and the crew spirit which has led him and Leverkusen so far.
“When I feel that the team is behind me, the feeling that they want to believe, it’s much easier,” Alonso mentioned in a mixture of German and English, shortly earlier than his gamers burst into his news convention to bathe him with beer.
“That was my great enjoyment, that I had the feeling that the team was really committed, and once you have that it’s much easier. I don’t know what it will mean for the future, but at the moment it feels pretty great.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com