Despite a glittering on-field career during which he won nearly every major trophy, Xabi Alonso says guiding Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten league season would be ‘very special.’
The 42-year-old lifted the World Cup and European Championships with Spain and won the Champion’s League with Liverpool and Real Madrid in a 17-trophy haul which also included three Bundesliga titles and a German Cup with Bayern Munich.
Having already sealed the title and ended the dynasty of Alonso’s former club, Leverkusen will play their final Bundesliga game at home to Augsburg on Saturday, seeking to become the first team to complete a league season undefeated.
If they can achieve it, it would take Bayer’s unbeaten record this season to 51 games, with the Europa League Final against Atalanta to follow in Dublin on Wednesday, May 22, before a return to Germany to face Bundesliga 2 side FC Kaiserslautern in the German Cup Final on Saturday, May 25.
Speaking to German publication Kicker, Alonso said: “On Saturday we can achieve a very nice goal. It would be great if we could win the championship without defeat – that has never happened before.
“We have go full throttle, to fight, to try everything, I experienced it as a player, but getting it as a coach in Leverkusen will be very special.”
Alonso admitted it has been a special first full season as head coach for him, but heaped praise on his squad.
“I’m very proud of the players,” he said. “They were very focused all season to experience this moment. This is very special. Of course it’s good for me too, but I’m proud of the team, to the young players who had this chance for the first time and hopefully they have a long career so it isn’t the last time.”
