Major doubts ahead of the Bayern summit
Devastating criticism from the captain: Alarm bells ring at Bayer
23.09.2024, 12:11
There is an atmosphere of alarm in Leverkusen. Will the champions get their acute defensive problems under control before the summit meeting in Munich? Captain Granit Xhaka is making clear statements, and coach Xabi Alonso can only agree with the criticism of his own team.
Granit Xhaka had barely unloaded all his anger after the “huge wake-up call” when the coach jumped to his aid at the start of the week of truth. The devastating criticism of the Bayer Leverkusen leader, but also the unequivocal demand to his teammates, was “totally correct,” stressed Xabi Alonso – and added a stark warning: “If we carry on like this, we will not get the chance to achieve anything great.”
The double winners are on alert shortly before the summit meeting with Bayern Munich – because the defense is suddenly shaky. And because there is still a lot of time until the top match on Saturday (6.30 p.m. on Sky and in the live ticker on ntv.de) There is little time to get the acute defensive problems under control. Not only since the last-minute victory against VfL Wolfsburg (4:3) have doubts spread among the Bayer cross as to whether the champions can really survive in Munich with this partly desolate defense.
Is everyone honest with themselves?
“I lack the final bite to defend the goal,” complained Xhaka, who was hard to calm down after the match against Wolfsburg. It has something to do with “your head whether you want to do that metre again or not.” In any case, he is someone “who is very honest with himself. I hope that the others are too,” stressed the Swiss. Everyone has to “take a look at themselves.”
There is certainly plenty of room for improvement, and the alarm bells are ringing. The attacking artists like Florian Wirtz and Victor Boniface are reliable, but Bayer conceded three goals against VfL, just as they did against RB Leipzig (2:3). Leverkusen had only conceded 24 goals in the championship season, and this season they have already conceded nine. Only Augsburg (10), Hoffenheim (11) and Kiel (13) have conceded more after four games.
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“That really bothers me. Of course, that’s not what we’re aiming for. We have to understand that we have to do more,” said defensive leader Jonathan Tah. “We have to be awake at all times and not sleep.” Especially since the Munich team, led by superstar Harry Kane, are brimming with confidence after their perfect start to the season – and are warmed up after their 20-goal week.
“It doesn’t matter who comes. That doesn’t interest us,” said Xhaka. But Alonso has long since started looking for explanations. Against Wolfsburg, for example, the first half was “too crazy, too unstable, too softly defended,” said the Spaniard. In addition, Bayer may not have had “the right mindset” after the English week and the dream start to the Champions League in Rotterdam (4-0).
But: His players are “not stupid. They know what we have to do. Of course we can do better,” said Alonso. The review this week should take place “on a positive path.” Then Leverkusen will be “absolutely ready, 100 percent” to stand up to Bayern, Tah added: “We know what we are capable of. And of course we want to go home with a win.”