On April 14, 2024, Bayer Leverkusen players poured beer on manager Alonso (center) to celebrate winning the championship Photo/Visual China
On the evening of April 14, local time, the Bayer Arena in the small German city of Leverkusen presented a celebratory atmosphere before kick-off. Bayer Leverkusen hold a 16-point lead and only need one win to achieve their century-old dream. After kick-off, they played as smooth and sharp as ever, with a penalty from Boniface soon converted, Xhaka netted from distance in the second half, and then Wirtz's hat-trick to beat Bremen 5-0 to win the Bundesliga title five rounds ahead of schedule with 25 wins and four draws. This is a very significant title: after 120 years, 45 Bundesliga seasons, five runners-up finishes, and now it has finally reached the top for the first time.
This championship is full of color. Bayer Leverkusen have been unbeaten in all three tiers this season and are now unbeaten in 43 games, surpassing Juventus' record for the longest unbeaten run in a single season (42 games) in Europe's top five leagues. During this period, they endured the attrition brought about by the Africa Cup of Nations and the fatigue caused by the international football break, and through rotation, formation and on-the-spot command, they overcame these adverse factors, and won many tough battles all the way. Especially in the 21st round, they defeated their biggest rival Bayern 3-0 at home, and the scene and score were completely victorious, and the embarrassed Bayern only had one shot on target. Although Bayern have had a tumultuous season, it was confirmed that manager Thomas Tuchel would leave in the middle of the season, but the quality and performance are still strong, and the statistics of goals, shots and possession in the Bundesliga have surpassed Bayer Leverkusen, with 60 points in the first 26 games. In the previous three seasons, Bayern scored 61, 60 and 56 points in the first 26 rounds, and finally became champions, until they met Bayer Leverkusen this year.
Bayer Leverkusen fans pour into the stadium to celebrate the team's victory on April 14, 2024. A fan holds aloft the banner of "King Alonso" Photo/Visual China
This championship did not come easily. Bayer Leverkusen scored in second-half stoppage time five times, with only Frimpong scoring the goal against Bayern Munich the icing on the cake, with the other four leading eight points. The 2-1 win over Hoffenheim in the 27th round was a hard-fought game, and they were unable to find the back of the net for a while, but through persistent attacks, the opponent's energy and concentration were finally equalized by Andric in the 88th minute, and then Schick completed the fatal blow. After the game, Bayern and Borussia Dortmund started the game, which Bayern lost 0-2, and after the game, Tuchel said that there was no suspense about the title, and "congratulations" to Bayer Leverkusen in advance.
The whole team has given the main credit for Bayer Leverkusen's rebirth to young coach Alonso. Grimaldo, a player, said that he had met very good coaches at Barcelona and Benfica, but Alonso was special and there were not many such coaches. When Alonso took over in October 2022, Bayer Leverkusen were second from bottom in the Bundesliga, having just lost 4-0 to Bayern. After he took over, the team took on a new look, winning five in a row in the Bundesliga twice and finishing sixth. Leverkusen has been comprehensively upgraded this season, from the lineup to the style of play are more perfect, the current Bundesliga title is in hand, the German Cup has reached the semi-finals, the Europa League has reached the semi-finals, and the first leg of the semi-finals has been won, and there is a great hope of achieving the small treble.
On February 10, 2024, in the 21st round of the Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen defeated Bayern Munich 3-0 at home, Alonso (left) and Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel exchange photo/Visual China
Alonso's talent is coveted, he was in the spotlight last season, and with a number of big clubs preparing to change managers, with the current managers of Bayern, Barcelona and Liverpool all confirmed that they will leave at the end of the season, there are endless reports around Alonso's whereabouts, which is bound to be a distraction for Leverkusen. The general manager, Fernando Carlo, also a Spaniard, said in November 2023 that "sometimes non-written agreements are agreements", meaning they had a verbal agreement, like a hint that Alonso would leave. In March 2024, the Bundesliga title race reached the sprint stage, and the rumours intensified, Carlo had to publicly state: "We are happy to have Alonso here, but he is just a piece of the puzzle, it doesn't mean that he is not here, it will all collapse." ”
In this case, Alonso made his choice in time, and at the pre-match press conference for the 27th round of the Bundesliga, he announced that he would stay: "I spoke with the club once, it was pleasant, I told them that I would stay. There has been a lot of talk about my future, I have thought hard about the international break and made my own decisions, this is where I should be, my work at Bayer Leverkusen is not over yet. His public statement reassured the morale of the military, although no one was sure how long he would stay. Since then, Bayer Leverkusen have won two games in a row, while Bayern have lost two games in a row, and the suspense of the Bundesliga title is almost gone.
In the 61 seasons of the Bundesliga, there are only two managers from Spain, one is Pep Guardiola and the other is Alonso. The two have a few things in common: they are creative midfielders when they play and the early days of their coaching are very smooth. The difference is that Alonso's "education" is better, inheriting his family education and receiving guidance from many famous coaches. In this regard, the only young coach in the history of football is probably Rijkaard, who played under Michels, Cruyff, Sachi and Louis van Gaal.
Alonso's father was successful in football, winning La Liga twice with Real Sociedad and briefly coaching Real Sociedad for just two months after retiring as a player. Alonso was also at Real Sociedad at the time, but was loaned out and father and son did not have the opportunity to work together. In late 2000, Tosak became Real Sociedad manager when he reclaimed Alonso, who had just turned 19, and made a surprise appointment to captain. He said that when Alonso was on the pitch, everyone played better. Under the leadership of Toshak and Alonso, Real Sociedad managed to avoid relegation. Tosak soon left, and the Frenchman Dinoët took over, who also valued Alonso. In the 2002-03 season, Real Sociedad finished runners-up in La Liga and Alonso was voted Spain's best player.
Alonso's outstanding performances naturally caught the attention of the giants, and in 2004 he moved to Benitez's Liverpool, where the two worked together for five years and had a professional relationship. Alonso acknowledged and thanked Benitez for his guidance, but did not invite him when he got married, saying: "I invited friends and Rafa and I have always had a professional relationship...... Sometimes, players like to be a little more intimate, like a pat on the shoulder, but Rafa is not that kind of person. Reflecting on his experience in Liverpool, he said: "I left Spain at the age of 22 like a sponge, absorbing everything and trying to understand this new country, as well as its society and daily life. I listen to people, talk to strangers, look around. You have to be open-minded to respect their traditions. ”
In the summer of 2009, with the rise of Florentino, Real Madrid spent a lot of money in the transfer market, forming the second phase of the Galaxy Battleship, buying Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema, and Alonso. He also played for five years at Real Madrid, where he met coaches such as Manuel Pellegrini, Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti, all of whom used him as a midfield brain. Jose Mourinho came to coach at Real Madrid in 2010 and he quickly saw Alonso's potential: "I'm sure he'll be a great coach if he puts up his boots. He reminds me of Pep Guardiola, who is already a coach on the pitch. A few years later, when the newly retired Alonso was in charge of Real Sociedad's B team, Mourinho made a similar prediction, saying that Alonso would become an elite coach.
Carlo Ancelotti, who succeeded Jose Mourinho, also trusted Alonso and praised him for his cleverness. When Alonso left Real Madrid, Marca commented that Carlo Ancelotti had lost the cornerstone of the team. Alonso went to Bayern Munich and Pep Guardiola called him. He recalls playing in the number six role under Pep Guardiola and going to Bayern Munich at the age of 32, but has learned a lot in three years.
Rafael Benitez, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola have won 10 Champions League titles combined. Alonso has drawn on the knowledge and experience of these great coaches to form his own tactical philosophy in football, and Bayer Leverkusen has provided him with the best squad and environment.
On April 14, 2024, in the 29th round of the Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen defeated Werder Bremen 5-0 and won the first Bundesliga championship in the 120-year history of the team five rounds ahead of schedule. Bayer Leverkusen coach Marcos Alonso celebrates winning the championship with his players Photo/Visual China
In February 2024, Bayern's Hoeness said of Alonso and Bayer Leverkusen: "He has a group of players who suit him, I have to say that their transfer is a bit of luck, no one has seen Boniface play before, and no one knows who Grimaldo is. The two players he mentioned were brought in from Portugal and Belgium in the summer of 2023 by sporting director Rolfes. Back in 2019, Rolfes wanted to bring in Grimaldo and made a special trip to Lisbon to watch him play. In the end, the transfer was completed, and the persuasion of Rolfes and the coaching of Alonso all worked. "He [Grimaldo] was already very good at Benfica, which is actually a very important point. He wants to try something new and we can offer him, and at a high level. We have a Spanish-speaking coach, Xavi Alonso, which is obviously also an advantage, and Alonso thinks highly of him. ”
In addition, the team's Palacios, Wirtz, Schick, Frimpong and Andric and others, as well as the signing of Alonso as head coach, are also the handiwork of Rolfes. When Bayer Leverkusen appointed Alonso, he did not have first-team coaching experience, but Rolfes was confident that using Alonso was not an experiment, "It's not a matter of experience, it's a matter of quality. I'm sure it's a great opportunity, there's always a risk factor, but you always have to improve, move forward, and I'm absolutely sure [this change of manager] will work out." ”
Only two months younger than Alonso, Rolfes dreamed of becoming an engineer as a child, but made a name for himself as a German international, playing for Bayer Leverkusen for 10 years before retiring before becoming a guest on television. He returned to Bayer Leverkusen in 2018 as Director of Youth and then Director of First Team Sport. In July 2022, he succeeded Worrall, who had been in office for many years, and began to take charge of the athletics, which he quickly achieved. In 2023, he and general manager Carlo both signed long-term work contracts. The two men complement each other's personalities, with Rolfes saying, "We benefit from each other. Fernando was more impulsive at times, while I was calmer. Both can be advantageous in different situations. Both are good for the club. ”
Carlo is a Spaniard, after studying in Germany and working for the famous company Bertelsmann, he has loved football since he was a child, is a member of Barcelona, and has written sports articles for Spanish and German newspapers. In July 2018, he took on the role of General Manager of Bayer Leverkusen FC. "Our aim is to grow the club as a whole, and in particular to promote our international recognition, improve and strengthen our brand, and the most important thing for you to improve is naturally the success of the sport," Carlo said. "There is no more wonderful, more meaningful and more exciting success than this first Bundesliga title.
Contributing writer for Southern People Weekly Dickson
Editor-in-charge: Chen Yafeng