One day after the Munich team announced that the record champions and coach Thomas Tuchel were parting ways in the summer, Bayern candidate and Bayer coach Xabi Alonso now commented. And although the 42-year-old said he had “nothing new to say,” he did reveal a lot.
Xabi Alonso doesn’t let his cards be taken into account when planning his future. IMAGO/Sven Simon
Even before the first question could be asked, Xabi Alonso tried to put the handbrake on firmly on Thursday. “Maybe you have some questions about my future,” said the Leverkusen coach in his opening statement to the press conference, “but I’m sorry: I don’t have that much new to say.”
The Spanish world and European champion knew that the focus that day would not be on Friday’s Bundesliga game against Mainz 05, but rather on himself. The day before, FC Bayern announced the end of their collaboration with coach Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season. Xabi Alonso is the hot candidate for successor. And as expected, the Basque left his future completely open at the end of this season on Thursday. No matter which corner was asked.
The Spaniard is holding back
Does his statement mean that FC Bayern is not an issue or that he doesn’t want to say anything about it? Xabi Alonso: “I have nothing new to say.”
Can we then assume that he will also be coach of Bayer 04 next season in accordance with his contract, which runs until 2026? Xabi Alonso: “Right now it’s me. That’s for sure. And what’s in the future, I don’t have anything new to say about it. We’ll see. It’s not the right moment for me to talk too much about it.”
Is he someone who fulfills his contracts? Xabi Alonso: “I’ve already answered the question.”
Have FC Bayern already contacted you? Xabi Alonso: “I understand the question, but I have to say again that I have nothing new to say. This is just hypothetical.”
The fuss doesn’t bother him
The Leverkusen coach only got a clear yes to one question: namely whether, as on January 26th, when the end of the collaboration between Liverpool FC and Jürgen Klopp was announced, he could now rule out the next one season to be coach of FC Bayern. At that time, Xabi Alonso openly and honestly stated about his near future as Liverpool coach: “That’s a direct question, but I don’t have a direct answer to it.”
So it remains to be said: Xabi Alonso answered honestly on Thursday, did not take refuge in white lies, but, as was to be expected, avoided a commitment to Bayer 04. He did not rule out a move to Munich just as he did not deny that Bayern had made contact .
The trainer himself dismisses the discussions about himself as irrelevant. The fuss caused by him in Munich, which some people even interpreted as psychological warfare, doesn’t bother him either. “That’s not a problem,” the gentleman explained on both aspects.
And in Leverkusen you can see it in a similar way. Even if you continue the story purely fictionally: Even if Xabi Alonso had already reached an agreement with the Munich team, this would not have any negative effects for Bayer 04 for the current season. How many titles has Xabi Alonso, a real trophy hoarder as a player, won as a coach so far? Correct! None. And in this previously fictitious case, it would be doubly important for the Basque to win the championship trophy.
Three concrete options for Xabi Alonso
On the one hand, to win his first title as a coach, although one championship with Bayer 04 would certainly be more memorable in the end than five with Bayern. On the other hand, because the 42-year-old would of course much prefer to start in Munich as a master coach and not as the coach who squandered an eight-point lead. Because otherwise he would have to make a first dent in his short but excellent CV as a football teacher.
Basically, the fewer Bayern win this season, the easier it would be for the Spaniard in Munich. If the Munich team remained without a title, Xabi Alonso’s height in the Bavarian capital would be much lower than if the record champions with Tuchel were to end the season with the title in the Bundesliga and a strong performance in the Champions League and even win the handle pot.
So there is no reason for Bayer 04 to be excited about the current season. For the time afterwards. It has been clear since Thursday that Xabi Alonso has three very specific options for this: FC Liverpool, FC Bayern Munich – and Bayer 04 Leverkusen.