"There are still five games to play. The desire remains the same. After last Saturday's goalless draw against Union Berlin, there was a whole week to train and speak with all the players
Xabi Alonso. Pic/AFP
Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso, who is said to be the lead candidate to replace Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, refused to discuss the links on Friday and said it is not a good time to discuss the future with his club’s hopes of defending the Bundesliga on the ropes.
With Real’s elimination from the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals and the La Liga title also slipping away, Spanish outlets are reporting that the Italian will part ways with the club at the end of the season and Alonso, who previously played in Real’s midfield, is the Los Blancos’ first choice to replace him.
"It's not a good time to discuss the future. We're at a very important moment in the season. I don't want to talk about speculation and rumours. [I understand] that this is happening, but what's more important to me is what's happening right now," said Alonso in the pre-game press conference.
After having gone the entire 2023-24 domestic season unbeaten, which saw them win the first league title in club history, Leverkusen have not been up to their best self and were eliminated by Bayern Munich in the UCL Round of 16.
To follow it up, they were shockingly defeated by Arminia Bielefeld, a side playing in Germany’s third tier, in the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal and lost the chance to gain ground on Bayern when they drew 0-0 against Union Berlin last weekend.
"There are still five games to play. The desire remains the same. After last Saturday's goalless draw against Union Berlin, there was a whole week to train and speak with all the players.
"It wasn't our best game against Union, we know that. That's why we want to show on Sunday that we can do it better. I know it's always easy to say that. So we want to and have to show that on the pitch,” he added.
With a six-point gap to Bayern Munich, and just five league games remaining, Alonso was asked about the gap to the league leaders and if the club can still hope to overcome the deficit.
"It's not easy, and we're realistic, but anything can happen in football, and as long as there is hope, we want to try everything. They also have to play five games, but we are focusing on ourselves and things that we can improve and influence. And I feel the team will give their all right to the end,” Alonso replied.
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