Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen legacy appears to be under question from two of his former favourites.
The Real Madrid head coach became a sensation in Germany, winning Leverkusen‘s first Bundesliga and also a DFB Pokal during an unprecedented unbeaten campaign.
Yet despite a decent follow up season, Alonso’s tactics were regularly questioned and he was accused of stubbornness as 2024/25 ended trophyless.
First to criticise his old coach has been Jonas Hofmann, who was a regular under Alonso before completely dropping off the radar and accusing the Spaniard of poor communication.
Speaking ahead of the new season, he said: “I feel good, but under Xabi Alonso I would probably have considered a transfer.
“I expect a coach to address something immediately when he notices something. I expect open and direct communication.
“A coach shouldn’t wait longer than two weeks to address it, because as a coach, I want the players to be in top shape to raise the training level.”
Late goal expert Patrik Schick has also joined in on the theme, saying Alonso should have been bolder up front, pairing him with Victor Boniface.
“Especially last season, in my opinion, we should have played together more often,” complained Schick.
“I can easily imagine him up front. We have different skills. And the combination could work well.”
Leave a Reply