“You can fully count on me”
“Great new signing” Wirtz is euphoric about Bayer
01/17/2023 1:28 p.m
Florian Wirtz is back and can be back on the pitch for Bayer Leverkusen when the Bundesliga restarts. Everyone in the club was looking forward to this moment, and his coach even described the 19-year-old as a gift.
Xabi Alonso raves, Hansi Flick hopes, the fans dream: The long-awaited return of Florian Wirtz triggers great euphoria among his coaches and the supporters of the Bundesliga soccer club Bayer Leverkusen. The gifted player fueled the high expectations before his competitive comeback 315 days after his cruciate ligament rupture on Sunday at Borussia Mönchengladbach (5:30 p.m. / DAZN and in the ntv.de live ticker). “You can fully count on me again,” said Wirtz.
This was shown by the greatest German talent alongside Jamal Musiala in the preparation. Against FC Venice he scored after a fantastic solo, which is worth seeing, against FC Zurich he celebrated after a crack from a distance. Wirtz was a “great winter signing,” Alonso said afterwards, and named the 19-year-old “a difference player” for the second half of the season.
The Werkself stumbled through the first phase of the season without Wirtz. Out of the DFB Cup, out of the Champions League, only twelfth place in the league – the offensive player was sorely missed. “We’re a better team with Flo – and I’m also a better coach with him,” said Alonso about “the gift” Wirtz.
Comparison with Messi
The former world and European champion even compared the youngster to superstar Lionel Messi in terms of quality and game intelligence. “There are good players and there are players who look good on the pitch. The player who looks good does things that are beautiful but not necessarily efficient. Why is Messi so good? Because he knows how and when you play simple passes,” said the Spaniard of the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”. It’s not always about making the most brilliant action, but the best and smartest. Wirtz can do that. That’s why he’s so good, according to Alonso.
The national team could have used these advantages at the World Cup debacle in Qatar. “We would have liked to have had Flo with his quality, everyone knows that,” explained national coach Flick after the preliminary round. Wirtz is now considered a great hope with a view to the home European Championship in 2024. Then he will still wear the Leverkusen jersey – even if Bayer should miss the international places. “Florian is still in good hands with Bayer until the EM 2024,” said his father and advisor Hans J. Wirtz to the “kicker”. His son, who has a contract until 2027, could still learn many things in Leverkusen that he couldn’t learn from a hodgepodge of established stars.
“The greatest role model for me”
That’s a good thing to hear under the Bayer Cross. Not only Alonso is enthusiastic about Wirtz. “Of course he’s gifted as a footballer and the children go to the stadium to see players like Florian,” stated sporting director Simon Rolfes. But Wirtz not only has the genius in his game. “What makes him really exceptional,” emphasized Rolfes, “is the discipline and meticulousness with which he pulls through to come back. In this area, Florian is the greatest role model for me.”
With Wirtz, the race to catch up that started before the World Cup break is to be continued. However, Alonso warned against expecting too much. After all, Wirtz lacks “competition rhythm”. Therefore, one cannot rely on “that he will do everything alone”.