LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) — Xabi Alonso’s moment of despair was palpable as he dropped to his knees, tilted his head back, and covered his face with both hands. Once again, his team fell short in finding the back of the net. Despite Bayer Leverkusen hitting the crossbar twice, Florian Wirtz’s final-minute effort narrowly missed the post, triggering a visible outburst of frustration from the coach on Saturday.
Alonso, taken aback by the effectiveness of his team’s tactics against a seemingly toothless Bayern Munich, candidly admitted, “We didn’t expect to be so dominant.” The outcome, however, was not in Leverkusen’s favor, dimming their hopes of retaining the Bundesliga title.
Reflecting on the game, Alonso shared mixed emotions, acknowledging the commendable performance of his squad against Bayern. “The way we have played, it’s been our best game against Bayern this year, probably even last year,” he said. Despite the absence of goals, Leverkusen’s relentless attacking display garnered praise from their coach.
Opting to sideline his key strikers, Alonso entrusted Wirtz’s creativity and the pace of Frimpong and Tella to unsettle Bayern’s defense. While opportunities to score were not in short supply, none were capitalized on.
With the 0-0 draw, Bayern’s lead remains unscathed at eight points, making Leverkusen’s hopes of clinching the title increasingly remote. Alonso, now unbeaten in six encounters against Bayern in various competitions, anticipates a potential future clash. Should Bayern progress past Celtic in the Champions League playoffs, they could face either Leverkusen or Atletico Madrid in the round of 16.
Harry Kane, Bayern’s marquee signing, endured a subdued performance with just two shots off target throughout the match. Against the backdrop of England coach Thomas Tuchel’s watchful gaze, Kane’s impact was minimal, save for an offside header and a blocked shot.
Coach Vincent Kompany lauded his team’s resilient defensive effort, attributing the gritty display to their recent victory over Celtic. “We defended well and it comes after a huge fight in Glasgow. We have to be ready again (for the second leg against Celtic) on Tuesday.”
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
