By-Oma Akatugba
Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has acknowledged both the strength of Wolfsburg and the effects of fatigue on his team following a 1-1 draw in Wolfsburg. The result, coming just two days after Leverkusen played 120 minutes in the DFB-Pokal against FC Köln, has left the Bundesliga title race in a precarious position, with Bayern Munich now holding an eight-point lead at the top.
Alonso admitted that his team struggled in the first half but showed greater attacking intent in the second. “We had a very good opponent, and there were moments for both sides in the game. Maybe in the first half, we didn’t have that many chances, but we probably had more in the second half. We changed a little bit, played more in their half, and got closer to the box,” Alonso said. “For sure, if we had had the whole week to prepare, maybe the outcome would have been different. But it is what it is. Luckily, we are in the semi-finals of the cup, which was our goal, even though today we didn’t achieve our objective of winning.”
The Leverkusen boss was clear that his team must remain realistic about challenges ahead. “We are not stupid; we don’t think that we can go everywhere and everything will happen in our favor. We need to take the positives, learn from this, and move forward. We now have three weeks that will be a bit different for us, and the first big test is against Bayern. It’s going to be a big game.”
One of the talking points before the match was Alonso’s decision to leave Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong out of the starting lineup. Their introduction in the second half changed the dynamic of the game, but the manager defended his selection choices, citing the team’s recent workload.
“You need to know where you come from. Against Bayern, we will be coming from a whole week of rest, but today we came from playing 120 minutes just two days ago. So, you need to manage the energy levels of the players,” Alonso explained. “Maybe my decision wasn’t the right one, but I took it with all the consequences in mind. That is my responsibility—it’s normal.”
Leverkusen now turn their attention to their must-win clash against Bayern Munich on February 15, a game that could define their season. With a full week of preparation and fresh legs, Alonso will hope his side can rise to the occasion and keep their title ambitions alive.
