Xabi Alonso uses a career of playing for great coaches to write his own winning recipe at Leverkusen
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, center, attends a team training session, in Leverkusen, Germany, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. Leverkusen play Qarabag in an Europa League group H soccer match on Thursday in Azerbaijan. (Federico Gambarini/dpa via AP)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Federico Gambarini]
LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) — Xabi Alonso has taken Bayer Leverkusen from the relegation zone to the top of the German league in 13 months as coach. Alonso played for top coaches like Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho in a trophy-filled playing career and says he’s drawing on years of experience of working with the best to build his own coaching style. Videos of the World Cup-winning former midfielder’s pinpoint long passes to players at training have gone viral. Alonso admits he would still rather be playing and coaching.
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