Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso remains determined in the Bundesliga title race despite a frustrating 0-0 draw against league leaders Bayern Munich on Saturday. The result leaves Leverkusen eight points behind Bayern with 12 games remaining, but Alonso is not ready to concede defeat just yet.
The defending champions dominated possession and dictated the tempo, yet struggled to break down a disciplined Bayern side that was content to sit back and protect their advantage at the top. Remarkably, Bayern failed to register a single shot on goal—only the second time that has happened in a league match since 1992.
“We played very well. We did everything we could do to win, other than score a goal,” Alonso said after the match. The Spanish coach admitted he was surprised by how much control his side had. “To be honest, and I’ve seen many Bayern games this season and they’re very dominant, we were dominant. You can see from the stats today how dominant we were. We just missed some precision.”
Despite the draw, Alonso remains optimistic about Leverkusen’s chances of closing the gap. “For the table, it wasn’t enough (to make a difference). But the season is not over yet,” he insisted. “As I said last year, we can speak in April. There are still many points to play for. Without a doubt, we’ll keep fighting in each competition and we want to keep winning.”
Although the result was frustrating, Alonso saw positives in his team’s performance. “It showed we can match it with anyone. It’s something we can build on in the league, but especially in the Champions League,” he added. Leverkusen remains the only German side to have reached the top eight in this season’s Champions League, proving their strength on the European stage.
Meanwhile, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany dismissed any claims that his team was undeserving of the draw. “Leverkusen earned the right to put us under pressure, but we showed the mentality to block shots—guys like Harry (Kane) and Jamal (Musiala), who are normally scoring goals for us,” Kompany said, defending his team’s defensive approach.
With plenty of football left to play, Alonso and Leverkusen are far from giving up on their hopes of defending the Bundesliga title.
