{"id":34438,"date":"2024-08-18T20:07:55","date_gmt":"2024-08-18T20:07:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/all-news\/we-are-the-hunted-ones-says-leverkusen-boss-alonso"},"modified":"2024-08-18T20:35:19","modified_gmt":"2024-08-18T20:35:19","slug":"we-are-the-hunted-ones-says-leverkusen-boss-alonso","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/all-news\/we-are-the-hunted-ones-says-leverkusen-boss-alonso","title":{"rendered":"We are the hunted ones, says Leverkusen boss Alonso"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Eritrea. <\/strong><\/span>Xabi Alonso seems aware of Bayer Leverkusen\u2019s unknown challenge ahead of the 2024\/25 season. The 42-year-old Spaniard is intensifying his efforts to keep the 2024 German champions hungry and awake after winning the club\u2019s first national league title.<\/p>\n

Ahead of the German Supercup final this Saturday, against last season\u2019s second, the VfB Stuttgart on home soil, the 2010 world champion seems everywhere on the training pitch and his voice seems louder than ever.<\/p>\n

Aside from increased training efforts, Alonso takes the opportunity to make a stopover at every media microphone and TV camera. He repeatedly sends the message: Be aware! We will be the hunted ones. We need to stay hungry despite having achieved unprecedented success.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis situation is new for most of us, having to defend something and not lean back and be satisfied with past success,\u201d said Swiss international Granit Xhaka.<\/p>\n

\u201cTherefore, our coach is telling us the story of a team, staying focused and heading for a new chapter,\u201d the 31-year-old former Arsenal midfielder added.<\/p>\n

A bumpy season preparation seems reason enough for the Spaniard to remind his team of football\u2019s basics and the achievements of the previous season.<\/p>\n

In public, the two-time Uefa Champions League winner complained about what he called \u201ctitle-tiredness\u201d.<\/p>\n

While having kept their successful squad together, alongside a few new arrivals, Alonso has detected a natural mental issue.<\/p>\n

The former Liverpool and Real Madird midfielder called the 4-1 defeat in a friendly against Arsenal \u201ca wake-up call\u201d. \u201cWe have been performing under our standards,\u201d he said trying to trigger new ambitions \u201cto do it again\u201d.<\/p>\n

The encounter against Stuttgart might deliver the first hints for Leverkusen, about how the side is dealing with their new role as the new season\u2019s favourites.<\/p>\n

Champions League, German Cup, the national league, and the Supercup, with last season\u2019s league champion facing the runner-up, the reigning German champions don\u2019t seem to run out of challenges.<\/p>\n

Enjoying more training days than opponent Stuttgart, Alonso kept on working on details and is mentioning \u201csteps forward\u201d after a 1-1 draw in a friendly against Betis.<\/p>\n

But the coach is reminding his squad of \u201canother marathon ahead of us,\u201d and mentions how vital a good season start is.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast season everyone expected us to hit weak phases, but we at a certain point, developed unprecedented ambitions and decided to continue,\u201d noted Xhaka.<\/p>\n

Having lost last season\u2019s Europa League final leaves space for improvements aside from Alonso\u2019s efforts to keep away pressure.<\/p>\n

The Spaniard seems aware of a similarly successful season coming along with the German Cup victory and the league title will be something very special to repeat.<\/p>\n

Alonso is demanding to forget about the past and face new challenges such as competing in the Champions League and staying tuned in the national competitions.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Eritrea Follow Africa-Press<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Eritrea. Xabi Alonso seems aware of Bayer Leverkusen\u2019s unknown challenge ahead of the 2024\/25 season. The 42-year-old Spaniard is intensifying his efforts to keep the 2024 German champions hungry and awake after winning the club\u2019s first national league title. Ahead of the German Supercup final this Saturday, against last season\u2019s second, the VfB […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":34437,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,17],"tags":[233],"class_list":["post-34438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-sport","tag-eritrea"],"yoast_head":"\nWe are the hunted ones, says Leverkusen boss Alonso - Eritrea<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Xabi Alonso seems aware of Bayer Leverkusen\u2019s unknown challenge ahead of the 2024\/25 season. 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