Alonso confirms Leverkusen stay amid Liverpool, Bayern interest،
Xabi Alonso has confirmed he will remain in charge of Bayer Leverkusen for the 2024-25 season despite strong interest from some of Europe's biggest teams, including Bayern Munich and Liverpool, as he sees the club as the best place to pursue His development. as a coach.
Alonso, who led Leverkusen to the brink of their first Bundesliga title, told a news conference on Friday that he had used the international break to consider his options and make his own decision.
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“It has been a season with a lot of speculation about my future,” Alonso said. “I wanted to take advantage of the international break to think a little better and make a decision.
Last week I had a good meeting with Simon [Rolfes, the club’s sporting director] with Fernando [Carro, CEO]when I informed them of my decision to continue as coach of Bayer Leverkusen.
“Of course, all decisions have to be well analyzed, and I tried to take the right ones, I tried to take the ones that come naturally, and right now I feel like this is the right place to me. to evolve as a coach.
“I’m a young coach, but I have to feel it, and right now I feel like it’s the right place.”
Sources told ESPN on Thursday that Liverpool had ruled out naming their former midfielder as Jurgen Klopp's successor, while Bayern honorary president Uli Hoeness said on Thursday that hiring Alonso this summer was “probably impossible”.
Alonso's reputation as a coach has grown rapidly since his appointment at the BayArena in October 2022, particularly this season, where his team is yet to lose in a German record 38 games and looks likely to ending Bayern's 11-year hegemony over the Bundesliga. title.
“It’s a process, the development of the team parallels my evolution as a manager,” he added. “It's my first full season as a coach. I still have a lot to prove, to experiment, and at the moment I have a situation at the club where I feel really stable, really happy with the team. “team and club.”
The former Spain international is expected to be a target for Real Madrid when Carlo Ancelotti's contract expires in 2026.
On Friday, Klopp said he understood Alonso's decision to stay, saying he had made a similar decision earlier in his managerial career.
“One point I can speak to is that a young manager is at a club where he is doing very well. I had a similar situation and I did pretty much the same thing if you like and I “I never regretted it. That's about all I can say about it,” Klopp told a press conference.
“Xabi is doing a very good job there. Leverkusen has a good team, he will probably keep the team together, I think it is possible this year too. Not every year. [are] like that. So I understand why he wants to do that. For the other stuff [any disappointment he isn’t coming to Liverpool?] I have nothing to say.”
Leverkusen face Hoffenheim in the league on Saturday as they look to maintain their 10-point lead over Bayern in the standings.
They remain in contention for a treble this season, with a German Cup semi-final against Dusseldorf scheduled for April 3 and a two-legged tie against West Ham in the Europa League quarter-finals later in the month.
“We're in a situation that we have to take advantage of. Two more months, it's going to be really intense, very demanding but hopefully enjoyable.
“And we have to do our best, and for that, it was good that last week was my deadline to make this decision. From now on, all the cards are on the table and we are going all out for the big ones objectives that we have before us.”
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel, who will leave the Bavarian giants at the end of the season, was asked before Alonso's press conference who he thinks could replace him.
“Next question,” he said. “I will certainly not be involved in the discussion about my successor.”
