SUMMARY
- Bayer Leverkusen has been in terrific form in the 23/24 season.
- They have put their players' stamina to good use.
Bayer Leverkusen has been the revelation of the 23/24 season. The German team has played some electrifying soccer, which has even subdued the German giant FC Bayern Munich.
While the players’ commitment and skills on the pitch are very noteworthy, it also must be acknowledged that the club’s coach, Xabi Alonso, has done a fantastic job. The Spaniard has miraculously elevated the German club to the zenith of European soccer in just over a year’s work.
Xabi Alonso joined Bayer Leverkusen when they were 17th in the table and had only won two trophies in their entire history.
They are now ONE win away from winning their first ever Bundesliga title and are in the German Cup FINAL. pic.twitter.com/NhWu33uROZ
— TC (@totalcristiano) April 6, 2024
Bayer Leverkusen was fighting relegation when Xabi Alonso arrived at the club in 2022. However, the right management and the tactical astuteness of the former Liverpool midfielder have converted Leverkusen into a champion team. The German club has a pretty well-defined set of tactics that have paid dividends in the recent past.
Bayer Leverkusen tends to exploit their opponents by creating a numerical advantage
One of the most important things that Xabi Alonso noticed as soon as he became the coach of Leverkusen was how young its players were. The average age of the club’s squad for the 23/24 season is around 25 years, which is among the youngest in Germany.
These players possess significant levels of stamina, which Xabi Alonso has put to good use. Be it attacking or defending, Bayer Leverkusen always aims to do things on the pitch in numbers. In this way, the German team always wants to create a situation where its players outnumber the opponents.
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Xabi Alonso has trained the players perfectly, who always stay very close to each other. In this way, Bayer Leverkusen tries to create certain sections on the pitch where its players outnumber the opponents. This helps them create space and move the ball forward more efficiently.
Moreover, staying close and using their numbers to good use also helps the club defensively. While on the counter, Bayer Leverkusen used their stamina to drop back and again create a numerical advantage for the side. Moreover, the two center-backs benefit the team by staying close, as it helps them with better communication and passing options.
The German team is an expert at being patient while in possession
It is one thing to keep the ball at your feet, and it is another to be efficient with it. The key to playing possession-heavy soccer is to always be patient with the ball. It also requires an extreme level of team bonding and practice to get the timing of the passes right. And in this regard, Bayer Leverkusen players are the masters in Europe.
The center-backs are not mere defenders for the German club but are also very important for the build-up play. While progressing the ball upfield, Leverkusen makes sure that it narrows down the playing field for its opposition, which lets them press heavily on one or two Bayer Leverkusen players.
This creates additional space for the runners upfield who get picked out by the center-backs due to the space left behind. Also, due to the space available, the center backs of Bayer Leverkusen are often advised by their coach to dribble upfield with the ball, thus creating a numerical advantage.
41 games played. 0 games lost. 116 goals scored. 16 points clear on Top.
Bayer Leverkusen Can Be Crowned Bundesliga Champions Next Weekend! Crazy. 🇩🇪🏆 pic.twitter.com/YQ9PgstNZw
— Pubity Sport (@pubitysport) April 6, 2024
Moreover, the wingers of the German club are allowed to be very creative and be as advanced on the pitch as they want to be. These wingers, who almost hug the touchline, are allowed to take on defenders in 1v1 to create scoring opportunities for the Bayer Leverkusen attackers.
The wingers are also complimented by the high-flying wingbacks of Jeremy Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo. The duo already has 49 goal contributions amongst them, till Leverkusen’s last game against Union Berlin in April 2024.
The patience with which the German team progresses the ball might remind one of Roberto Di Zerbi’s Brighton and Hove Albion. While the confidence in which Leverkusen retains possession is reminiscent of Pep Guardiola’s FC Barcelona and FC Bayern Munich, Xabi Alonso plays for the latter as well.
Bayer Leverkusen is certainly playing some very confident and high-quality soccer. The club is well on course to win the first-ever Bundesliga in their history, thus creating history. The German club would want to continue playing its brilliant soccer and its unbeaten streak of 41 games.