“They should have fun playing again”

In a conversation with AS, Xabi Alonso explained what he expects to see from his new team and how Leverkusen was the perfect fit.

Xabi Alonso began his Leverkusen tenure with a convincing 4-0 demolition of Schalke on Matchday 9. Speaking with AS, Alonso discussed his long-awaited move to coach a major club and why he chose Germany as his first top flight destination:
“I am firmly convinced that this will work and I am very motivated. The players have shown great quality in recent years. They should have fun playing again. – We talked about some concepts in the two training days before (the game) and the players understood them. This is a good start.”

Alonso was then asked how he prefers to set up his side:

“You have to mix the styles, you don’t just have to have one. My idea is that the team must perfectly understand our strategy. We want to play dominantly and intensively. I was a midfielder, so I like to control games. And we want to create a winning mentality, that’s the only way to get far.”

There were opportunities to coach in his home country of Spain, as he added that, “Yes, there have been some. But things are good for me if I have a good feeling about it. This was also the case with Leverkusen. I know the German mentality, I know the seriousness. If I like something, I can’t get it out of my head.”

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