Reality sometimes differs from the fanfare surrounding big signings. Behind Bayer Leverkusen’s early optimism about hiring Xabi Alonso as head coach, a less glamorous detail lurked. Leverkusen had reportedly approached Thomas Tuchel after his Chelsea departure before turning to the player from Toulouse. The dismissal of that offer left the door open for Alonso’s candidacy. Then the club’s general manager, Fernando Carro, a veteran from the Bertelsmann media world, stepped forward with a weighty proposal. Born in Barcelona and educated at the German School before earning an industrial engineering degree from Karlsruhe University, Carro brought a distinctive profile to the table.
Carro laid out his vision, and sporting director and former player Simon Rolfes appeared receptive. The team had not started the season well, found itself in relegation trouble, and showed inconsistency in the Champions League. A win against Atletico Madrid kept the group hopes alive for a while. In the previous season Leverkusen finished third in the Bundesliga and reached the Champions League qualifying rounds. Czech striker Patrick Schick emerged as the league’s second top scorer behind Lewandowski with 24 goals, complemented by 35 goals overall in all competitions. Beside him, French winger Moussa Diaby lit up the left flank with 17 goals and 14 assists. In midfield, Florian Wirtz, one of German football’s brightest young talents, tallied 10 goals and 14 assists, and he even debuted for the national team as the third youngest player in German history. Yet the season ended prematurely for the teenager after injuring his ACL in his left knee.
“The result wasn’t enough, but we played with energy today. There are positives to take from this result”, commented Alonso in a post-match message, expressing the kind of resilience that he hoped would define his tenure. Bayer 04 Leverkusen posted the brief remark on social media after a hard-fought draw with Wolfsburg.
With Wirtz sidelined and still in recovery, the season began in rough fashion. Alonso trusted Schick and Diaby, but the numbers were not kind: the striker managed only three goals, with Diaby contributing two assists. Without Wirtz and Belarabi, who tore his lateral meniscus in August, Alonso leaned on newcomers Hlozek and Hudson-Odoi, though they were still adjusting. In this early stretch, Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapié and Dutch winger Jeremie Frimpong emerged as the team’s anchors in defense and wing play.
Balance, timing, and leadership in the squad
Alonso’s first task was to bring balance. He experimented with a 3-4-3 shape that shifted to a five-man defensive line, with Hincapié organizing from the back and the wings sharpening their runs. The attack gained momentum through Frimpong’s pace and Baker’s movement. Yet the squad still faced clear tactical gaps that demanded ongoing problem solving. Alonso has spoken about his priorities, emphasizing the need for a ready mindset paired with time. He noted the importance of winning at home and maintaining high concentration and body language to energize the stadium with strong performances. The core message was simple: improve across every facet, with balance between offense and defense as the immediate target.
Alonso’s first bench appearance yielded a convincing 4-0 win over Schalke, lifting Leverkusen toward the top of the table. But reality soon pressed in as the team slipped to Porto in the Champions League, suffered a heavy 5-1 loss to Eintracht, and only managed a late salvage against Wolfsburg in a 2-2 draw. A penalty miss by Diaby, awarded after a handball sequence, compounded the frustration, and Adam Hlozek’s assist to a goal by his teammate briefly revived hope. Later, an own goal by Robert Andrich and a late deficit against the visitors showed the gaps still needing filling. Frimpong’s decisive strike restored some balance, yet the campaign remained unsettled. The team’s push for stability endured amid penalties and injuries as Alonso navigated the season’s rough patches.
Meanwhile, Alonso pressed to safeguard Hincapié, a player he personally values for the long run. The club faced interest from European rivals in the Brazilian-born center-back, and suitors watched closely as Bayer faced a crucial stretch in the Champions League and domestic fixtures. Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen placed a demanding price tag of 45 million euros on the defender, a figure that cooled some markets while giving the coach time to implement his ideas. Leverkusen also requested that Alonso guide the team toward a return to the Champions League, with the objective of replicating last year’s continental run despite sitting lower in the current group standings. Bruges led the group, Porto sat second with six points, Atletico Madrid had four, and Leverkusen a modest three. In Germany, Bayer defeated Atletico earlier in the campaign and would need another win at the Metropolitano to preserve chances in the final round, where Brugge would provide the toughest test.
It is still early for Xabi Alonso, who has asked for patience. After four games on the bench in Germany, his project remains under scrutiny. The World Cup break offers a chance to consolidate ideas and sharpen the game plan. Alonso has noted how much he has learned from a range of coaches, from Pep Guardiola to Jose Mourinho and Luis Aragonés, and from Vicente del Bosque. With Griezmann’s continued involvement not guaranteed, Alonso will need to translate every lesson into the field as Leverkusen prepares to face a reinvented Atlético Madrid under a new tactical approach. Time will be a critical element in this journey.
Possible staff;
Atlético Madrid: Oblak; Molina, Savic, Gimenez, Reinildo; De Paul, Witsel, Kondogbia, Saul or Carrasco; Griezmann, Morata.
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky; Hincapié, Tah, Tapsoba; Frimpong, Andrich, Amiri, Bakker; Diaby, Hlozek, Schick.
Referee: Clement Turpin (France).
Stadium: BayArena.
Kickoff: 21:00.
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