Real Madrid-linked Alonso: Nothing to decide on Leverkusen future

LEVERKUSEN, Germany — In contrast to a year ago, Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso has no offers from rival clubs to prompt any immediate decisions on his future.

Alonso used the international break in March last season to ponder his future amid interest from Bayern Munich and another one of his former clubs, Liverpool, which were both looking for new coaches ahead of the following season.

The Spanish coach declared he was staying at Leverkusen before leading the team to its first Bundesliga title, then staying unbeaten, followed by the German Cup for a domestic double.

“The situation is a different one,” Alonso said Thursday. “At the time, there was something to decide. This time there isn’t. That’s the big difference.”

Alonso’s contract with Leverkusen runs to 2026. The team was in the Bundesliga’s relegation zone when he took over in October 2022.

Leverkusen’s only loss last season was in the Europa League final to Atalanta — a defeat that ended its record 51-game unbeaten run across all competitions. That season was always going to be a tough act to follow.

Leverkusen is six points behind Bayern with eight rounds of the Bundesliga remaining, and it can still defend its German Cup title with a semifinal against Arminia Bielefeld to come on Tuesday.

Alonso remains among the most highly regarded coaches on the continent and is widely seen as a potential successor to Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, another of the former Spain star’s former clubs.

But Alonso would not be drawn on whether he sees his future in Leverkusen or elsewhere.

“My thoughts are the same, like I said before, I’m staying focused on this season. That’s the most important thing,” Alonso said. “We’re at an important stage and we don’t want to speculate. We don’t want to think about other things than football.”