Why Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid want Xabi Alonso as their next manager?

If there’s one manager currently in huge demand across Europe, that’s Xabi Alonso. He may have taken over the reigns as Bayer Leverkusen manager just over a year ago , but boy has the manager and club gone onto become inseparable.

Not just inseparable, but under Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen have transformed themselves into an indomitable force to be reckoned with. So much so that, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are interested in signing up the former Spanish midfielder.

Afterall, Leverkusen are sitting pretty at the top of the Bundesliga standings with 61  points, holding a seven-point lead over Bayern.

Counter-pressing football

One of biggest positives for Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen has been counter-pressing football. Prior to coaching Bayer, Alonso only had the experience of coaching the Real Madrid U14 side as well as the Real Sociedad B side. And at Sociedad, Alonso employed counter-pressing football. At Sociedad, Alonso preferred the 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formations quite often, and that helped in his side’s easy transition through central spaces to progress towards the goal.

At Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso has largely preferred the 3-4-2-1 formation. And it’s not just the formation that has worked for Alonso and Bayer. It’s the players who arrived at Bayer and the quality they possess. Granit Xhaka, Victor Boniface, Jonas Hoffman and Alex Grimaldo have all arrived at the BayArena under Alonso and taken the side into the next level. Xhaka, in particular, has been impressive, despite not featuring himself in the scoresheet quite often.

Afterall, following a troubled time at Arsenal back in England, these last few months have been sort of a redemption arc for Xhaka. At Leverkusen, the Switzerland international has gone onto become a central figure in Alonso’s setup, playing in a double-pivot midfield with Argentina’s Ezekiel Palcios.

Xhaka has been impressive with his passes. More than 90 per cent of his passes have been accurate. Xhaka’s faultless accuracy at picking out the wingers have also been one of the major highlights for Leverkusen. “He played with great intensity, discipline and concentration until the end, always coordinating between players. The sort of midfielder we need at good moments, and Granit is there,” Xabi had said on Xhaka after Bayer’s win over Bayern last month.

Another major highlight of this Leverkusen side, who were threatened by relegation just over a year ago, is that the players have rarely been offside. Players have only been flagged offside just over 10 times in the Bundesliga so far. That is something that compliments Bayer Leverkusen’s disciplined approach towards their games.

Young attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz is one of Leverkusen’s best prospects this season. The 20-year-old has showcased his creativity and goal-scoring abilities. Often, Wirtz is used along with a two-man attack in Jonas Hoffman and Nigeria’s Victor Boniface.

Alex Grimaldo has also been a revelation. He plays as a full back very often but balances pretty well between attacking prowess and his defensive responsibilities. So far in the Bundesliga this season, Grimaldo has found the net 10 times while also assisting 10 times.

Simply put, Alonso has not just taken Bayer Leverkusen to new heights, but also helped them be tactically flexible. And it’s these mostly accurate tactical decisions that has made Xabi Alonso a manager in demand. He knows his players well, has maintained consistency in selecting his starting XI, and most importantly, the signings that the club has made under him have proven to be game changing.

Read | Alonso will snub likes of Bayern, Liverpool; not done with Leverkusen yet: Matthaus

Add to that, a dynamic defence, and a counter-attacking approach have only made Leverkusen wonders, so one can imagine what Alonso will bring to the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid should he end up going to one of those clubs. Mutual understanding within the club and its players is also a must. Take Xhaka for example, who trusts his manager. “Xabi was one of the best players in the world in his position. I’m lucky to play in the same central midfield position. He gives me important tips on certain game situations, where to position myself, how to position my body,” he recently said.

Whether he leaves Bayer for elsewhere or not, Alonso is destined for success as a manager wherever he goes. Be it Liverpool,or Real Madrid. Or even Bayern Munich. But right now, the focus will be on helping Bayer secure that Bundesliga title, not just that, but also end Bayern’s long dominance.