Berlin (Germany), Feb 5 As Bayer Leverkusen's fans eagerly prepare for what could be the club's most successful season, Xabi Alonso is working diligently to maintain a sense of calm.
Leading up to what is assumed to be a decisive week, starting with the last-eight round of the German Cup against VfB Stuttgart this Tuesday evening, followed by a direct showdown against league runner-up Bayern Munich this Saturday, the Spanish star coach appears to be fighting an uphill battle.
With the possibility of winning three titles in the league, the German Cup, and the Euro League still alive, the enthusiasm knows no bounds. "We're doing our job and will see what happens," stated the 42-year-old after Darmstadt coach Thorsten Lieberknecht commented following Leverkusen's victory last weekend, saying, "We've most likely lost to the new German champion. They deserve it."
One of the most debated questions in sports is who truly deserves a title. Whether they're Leverkusen supporters or not, most fans might side with Lieberknecht and keep their fingers crossed for Alonso's squad, reports Xinhua.
Currently, it appears to be a challenge for the Spaniard to temper expectations surrounding the 1993 German Cup winner ahead of this week's crucial matches, especially after midfielder Florian Wirtz secured this season's first title.
The 20-year-old recently became the youngest winner of the "goal-of-the-year" award, a competition conducted by the sports broadcast "Sportschau" where fans vote for their favourite goal. Wirtz fuelled fans' excitement by saying, "I'm an ambitious player and want to win everything I compete for. We're striving to win everything this season."
Wirtz has been the driving force propelling Leverkusen to become this season's powerhouse, and he takes pride in being mentioned alongside former "goal-of-the-year" winners like German icons Gunter Netzer and Lothar Matthaeus.
As the Leverkusen coach discusses the "intense days ahead," midfielder and former Arsenal player Granit Xhaka reflects on "the week that will decide a lot."
Alonso and sporting director Simon Rolfes tirelessly emphasize the need to focus on the upcoming Cup encounter against the current top-flight team Stuttgart. Rolfes labelled the duel against coach Sebastian Hoeness's side as "the most important game of the season," recognizing the substantial boost a victory would provide.
The entire team's collective effort appears crucial to temporarily set aside thoughts of the upcoming clash with Bayern next weekend. The league encounter in Stuttgart, where Bayern narrowly escaped defeat, might offer some insight. "We've performed well when concentrating on the next game without looking ahead. In reality, the next game is against Stuttgart," emphasized Rolfes.
Alonso acknowledges the fans' enthusiasm but adds, "So far, we've achieved nothing despite our satisfying performances. To win titles, we need patience and the determination to finish what we've started."
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