Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso calls for more aggression and character after his team’s 3-2 victory against Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Bundesliga season opener. Despite the win, Alonso stresses the need for improvement.
Bollywood Fever: Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has called for more character and aggression from his team following their dramatic 3-2 victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Bundesliga season opener on Friday.
The match was decided by a stoppage-time penalty rebound, converted by Florian Wirtz, after Gladbach’s Ko Itakura fouled substitute Amine Adli in the box.
In the post-match press conference, Alonso acknowledged the intensity of the game but expressed concerns about his team’s performance, particularly in the second half.
“It was an intense first Bundesliga game for us. A lot of things happened in the second half, it was full of emotion right to the end. We did well in many phases,” Alonso said. “But we weren’t always so compact today, we were also a bit passive in some phases. We have to do that better. We have to be more aggressive.”
Alonso also touched on Leverkusen’s habit of scoring late goals, which has become a hallmark of their play. “It’s difficult to explain why we always score late goals.
We can’t train that and I can’t influence it. It’s the mentality of the team,” he remarked.
Leverkusen, who set a European record last season by going 51 consecutive games without a loss across all competitions, continued their unbeaten streak with this win, which featured several late equalizers.
However, Alonso emphasized that the team needs to maintain consistency throughout the match, not just in the final minutes.
Former Gladbach player Granit Xhaka, who opened the scoring for Leverkusen in the 12th minute, echoed Alonso’s sentiments. “At the end of the first half, we started not being consistent enough in our passing game and losing easy balls. Here at home, Gladbach never die, you could see that in the (goals for) 1-2 and 2-2,” Xhaka said. Out of respect for his former club, Xhaka chose not to celebrate his goal.
Florian Wirtz, who scored twice, including the decisive goal, admitted that the team made the game more difficult than it needed to be.
“We were asleep when it came to conceding goals. We let it slip away ourselves, even though we were actually in control,” Wirtz stated. “I just wanted to decide the game. I know that in the end it will be a lucky win. But we are happy that we won and that I was able to score the follow-up shot.”
Leverkusen entered this match fresh off a victory in the German Supercup, where they defeated VfB Stuttgart 4-3 on penalties after a late equalizer forced a 2-2 draw over 90 minutes.
Despite their successes, Alonso’s comments make it clear that the team must improve if they want to maintain their dominance throughout the Bundesliga season.
Leverkusen’s next challenge comes on August 31, when they host RB Leipzig, a match that will test whether Alonso’s call for more character and aggression will resonate with his players.
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