It would be a tremendous insult to Xabi Alonso to assume that his interest in the soon-to-be vacant Liverpool post is solely motivated by his emotional attachment to Anfield.
Of course, it is a significant aspect after the 42-year-old was named the early choice to successor Jurgen Klopp, who shocked the football world by announcing his retirement at the end of the season.
But Alonso’s tremendous performances at Bayer Leverkusen over the last 16 months deserve equal recognition. It is highly possible that the Spaniard will pull off one of the biggest surprises in European football by depriving Bayern Munich the Bundesliga title for the first time since 2012. The last manager to do so? You may have heard of him, a man named Klopp.
To truly grasp what Alonso has accomplished, you must go back to October 2022, when he left Real Sociedad’s B squad to manage a Bayer side in upheaval. After eight games, Leverkusen was ranked second-bottom in the Bundesliga.
Amid fears of relegation to the second tier, Leverkusen took a calculated risk by hiring an inexperienced manager. However, the gamble has proven to be extremely profitable!
His first game in charge was a 4-0 victory over Schalke. He and Bayer have not looked back since. Alonso led Leverkusen to the Europa League semi-finals, when they were eliminated by Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
Despite their disastrous start, they miraculously finished sixth in the Bundesliga to qualify again for the Europa League again. By previous summer, he had already been connected with the Premier League, with Tottenham reportedly showing interest.
That link fell through as Spurs went for childhood Reds fan Ange Postecoglou, while Alonso signed a new contract with Bayer until the summer of 2026.
The improving trend has continued this season, with 15 wins and no losses in 18 games. With the German top flight passed the halfway point, this is no fluke, as they are four points ahead of Bayern, despite Harry Kane’s bierkeller-full of goals.
When asked about the possibility of replacing Klopp, Alonso was characteristically non-committal, treading the line between appreciating his current employer and not ruling out a return to Anfield, where he is still adored.
“At the moment, I am quite happy here. “I’m enjoying my work here; I feel like each day and each game is a challenge,” he remarked. “We are on an intense and amazing adventure here in Leverkusen, and I’m trying to give my all to help my players prepare for what comes next.
“I am not sure what will happen next. I’m not thinking about the next step right now. I am thinking about that right now, and I believe I am in a good place and am enjoying it.
“I believe that is the proper place, and that is all I can say. I’m not sure what will happen in the future, and to be honest, I don’t care.
Reading between the lines, a Reds reunion would undoubtedly be difficult for him to resist.
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