Xabi Alonso Opting to Stay on as Bayer Leverkusen Manager for 2024-25 Season

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Xabi Alonso is staying put…

The 42-year-old Spanish professional football manager and former player has confirmed he’ll stay on as manager of Bayer Leverkusen for the 2024-25 season despite strong interest from some of Europe’s biggest teams, including Bayern Munich and Liverpool, as he sees the club as the best place for him to continue his development as a coach.

Alonso, who has led Leverkusen to the verge of their first Bundesliga title, told a news conference on Friday that he used the international break to consider his options and come to his own decision.

“It has been a season with a lot of speculation regarding my future,” Alonso said. “I wanted to use the international break to reflect a little bit better and to take a decision.

“Last week, I had a good meeting with Simon [Rolfes, the club’s sporting director] with Fernando [Carro, CEO], when I informed them of my decision to continue being coach of Bayer Leverkusen.

“For sure all the decisions, you need to analyze well, and I tried to take the right ones, I tried to take the ones that come in a natural way, and at this moment I feel this is the right place for me to be to develop as a coach.

“I am a young coach, but I have to feel it, and right now I feel that this is the right place.”

Sources told ESPN on Thursday that Liverpool had ruled out appointing their former midfielder as Jurgen Klopp‘s successor, while honorary Bayern president Uli Hoeness said Thursday that hiring Alonso this summer is “probably impossible.”

Alonso’s reputation as a coach has grown quickly since his appointment at the BayArena in October 2022 — particularly this season, where his team are yet to lose in a German-record 38 games and look likely to end Bayern’s 11-year hegemony over the Bundesliga title.

“It’s a process, the development of the team is parallel with my development as a manager,” he added. “This is my first complete season as a manager. I still have a lot of things to prove myself, to experience, and right now I have a situation in the club where I feel really stable, really happy with the team and the club.”

The former Spain international is expected to be a target for Real Madrid when Carlo Ancelotti‘s contract expires in 2026.

Meanwhile on Friday, Klopp said he understands Alonso’s decision to stay, saying he made a similar decision earlier in his managerial career.

“One point I can speak about is a young manager being at a club where he’s doing really well, I had a similar situation and did pretty much the same if you want and never regretted it. That’s pretty much everything I can say about it,” Klopp told a news conference.

“Xabi is doing a really good job there. Leverkusen has a good team, probably will keep the team together, I think that’s possible this year as well. Not all years [are] like that. So I understand that he wants to do that. For the other stuff [any disappointment he isn’t coming to Liverpool?] there’s nothing I have to say.”

Leverkusen face Hoffenheim in the league on Saturday as they look to maintain their 10-point lead over Bayern in the standings.

They remain in contention for a treble this season, with a German cup semifinal against Dusseldorf set for April 3 and a two-legged tie against West Ham in the Europa League quarterfinals later that month.

“We are in a situation that we have to enjoy. Still two months to go, it’s going to be really intense, really demanding but enjoyable hopefully.

“And we need to give our best, and for that, it was good that last week was my deadline for sure to take that decision. From now on, all the cards are on the table and we go full gas for the big goals that we have ahead of us.”

Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel, who is leaving the Bavarian giants at the end of the season, was asked before Alonso’s news conference about who he thought could replace him.

“Next question,” he said. “I’ll certainly not be involved in the discussion about my successor.”

Paris Saint-Germain Sign Lucas Hernandez from Bayern Munich

Posted on July 9, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lucas Hernandez is headed to the City of Lights…

Paris Saint-Germain have signed the half-Spanish French footballer from Bayern Munich on a five-year deal, the Ligue 1 champions have announced.

The transfer fee hasn’t been disclosed but French media reported that PSG had paid Bayern a fee of €40 million ($43.87m) plus add-ons for Hernandez.

“I’m really excited! I’ve been waiting to join PSG for a long time, and it’s finally happened. It’s a very special day for me and I’m very happy to be here,” Hernandez said in a statement.

Atletico Madrid, Hernandez’s boyhood club, will also receive a significant fee, according to Spanish media reports.

The France international made 107 appearances for the German league champions since his arrival in 2019 but played only seven league games last season after suffering a cruciate ligament rupture injury at the World Cup that kept him sidelined for the remainder of the season.

Hernandez, PSG’s fifth new signing, joins midfielders Manuel Ugarte and Lee Kang-in, central defender Milan Skriniar and forward Marco Asensio.

The club also fired manager Christophe Galtier on Wednesday and replaced him with former Barcelona and Spain coach Luis Enrique.

Rodri Makes History while Leading Manchester City to First Champions League Title

Posted on June 10, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rodri is celebrating history…

The 26-year-old Spanish soccer player, whose full name is Rodrigo Hernández Cascante, earned a spot in futbol history on Saturday night by scoring Manchester City‘s first ever goal in a European Cup or UEFA Champions League final.

Manchester City had failed to find the net in their first UCL final in 2021 when they lost 1-0 to Chelsea in Porto.

But Rodri, a midfielder, made the breakthrough after 68 minutes in Istanbul to open the scoring against Inter Milan.

Rodri hammered home from 16 yards after Bernardo Silva‘s attempted cross had been deflected into his path.

This was only Rodri’s second ever goal in Europe’s top club competition.

His first had come during Manchester City’s 3-0 victory over Bayern Munich in the first leg of their quarterfinal.

Saturday’s strike proved to be the only goal of the game as Manchester City went on to beat Inter 1-0 and complete a famous treble.

Pep Guardiola‘s class of 2023 are only the second team ever to be English champions, European champions and FA Cup winners in the same season.

Rodrygo Helps Lead Real Madrid Into Champions League Semifinals

Posted on April 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rodrygo has helped his team advance…

The 22-year-old Brazilian professional footballer scored a second-half brace for Real Madrid in a 2-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday to seal a spot in the Champions League semifinals for the defending champions by a final aggregate score of 4-0.

It’s the first time Chelsea have lost four games in a row since 1993.

A cagey opening 45 minutes looked similar to Madrid’s 2-0 win in the first leg of the quarterfinal tie as Chelsea came out strong before the visitors settled into the game and were largely in control up to half-time.

Marc Cucurella should have scored just before the half, but a scampering Thibaut Courtois blocked his close-range strike after the Spaniard was left all alone at the far post and the teams went into the break tied 0-0.

“It isn’t easy to get to the semifinals or a final. In the last three years we’ve got to a lot of them,” Courtois said following the win. “Obviously when you play a semifinal and lose, like against [Chelsea] three years ago, you don’t celebrate it.

“We’re happy to get to a semifinal, which isn’t easy, but once you’re there, if you lose, it doesn’t feel like much. Our target is to go through and win.”

Any hopes Chelsea might have had of an improbable comeback were dashed when Rodrygo scored shortly before the hour mark — the celebrations starting well and truly in Madrid a little over 20 minutes later when the Brazilian doubled the lead for Carlo Ancelotti‘s side.

“I don’t know how to explain it. I always say it’s a very special competition for me, every time I play I can help the team,” Rodrygo said after the match. “I’m happy and I hope to carry on like that, scoring more goals, providing more assists and winning the Champions League again.”

Rodrygo finished off a sweeping counter-attack against a helpless Chelsea, who have lost all four games since Frank Lampard returned as interim manager, skipping past Trevoh Chalobah‘s wild lunge with his cross eventually played back to him by fellow Brazi international Vinicius Junior for him to slot home.

The closing stages were almost academic and Real turned on the style with Federico Valverde teeing up Rodrygo’s second that was the catalyst for a mass exodus of Chelsea fans from their home ground.

“It’s a pleasure to be here at Real Madrid, the biggest team in the world,” Rodrygo added. “We know we have almost the obligation to get to semifinals and finals and to win the Champions League. Since I arrived we’ve had that in our heads, we have to go far, we have to play well, and that’s what we’ve done since I’ve been here: we’ve gone far in this competition.”

While Chelsea’s season will end trophy-less under their new American owners despite a £500 million pounds ($621 million) outlay on new players, 14-times European champions Madrid march on with Ancelotti eyeing the trophy for a fifth time.

“We knew you have to suffer in this kind of game,” Ancelotti said. “They gave everything In the first half they caused us problems especially on the left, we fixed that in the second half. It’s normal to suffer, we had a good level, solid at the back. A good game, a deserved win, we’re very happy.”

Madrid did pick up one bit of bad news on an otherwise joyous night when Eder Militao picked up a yellow card that will keep him out of the first leg of the semifinals due to accumulation.

Ancelotti said: “A bit worried, going down to 10 men would have been difficult, but after that he had a spectacular game at the back. He’ll miss the first leg of the semifinal, but let’s hope we’ll have [David] Alaba back.”

Madrid will likely face Manchester City in the semifinals, with Pep Guardiola‘s team leading Bayern Munich 3-0 in their quarterfinal with one leg to play.

Lionel Messi Records 700th Club Level Goal in Paris Saint-Germain’s Win over Marseille

Posted on February 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Make that 700 goals for Lionel Messi.

The 35-year-old Argentine professional footballer scored a goal in Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 win over bitter rivals Marseille on Sunday to extend their Ligue 1 lead to eight points.

Messi and Kylian Mbappe, World Cup foes, inspired the team’s win.

Mbappe, who bagged a double, was set up by Messi for both his goals, and repaid the favor by laying on another for Messi as PSG, who were without the injured Neymar, moved to 60 points from 25 games with second-placed Marseille on 52.

The goal was Messi’s 700th at club level between his trophy-filled tenure at Barcelona and his more recent time at PSG.

France forward Mbappe, who was on the losing side against Messi’s Argentina in the World Cup final, became PSG’s joint record scorer with 200 goals — level with Edinson Cavani.

“We were aggressive, we put intensity into the game, that’s what we’d been missing,” said PSG centerback Sergio Ramos.

PSG next face Nantes at home before travelling to Bayern Munich for their Champions League last-16 return leg after losing the first encounter 1-0 at the Parc des Princes.

Gavi Named World’s Best Under-21 Footballer

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Gavi is celebrating his Kopa moment…

The 18-year-old Spanish professional footballer has won the Kopa Trophy, the award presented to the best player under age 21, prior to the 2022 Ballon d’Or presentation.

The Barca midfielder, who turned 18 in August, claimed the prize ahead of Borussia Dortmund‘s Jude Bellingham and Bayern Munich‘s Jamal Musiala.

He succeeds Barcelona teammate Pedri, last year’s winner.

After breaking into the first-team setup at age 16 last year, Gavi went on to make 47 appearances for Barca in all competitions in 2021-22, scoring two goals.

His performances for the Catalan club earned him a call-up to the Spain national team and he became the youngest player to ever represent La Roja, at the age of 17 years and 62 days.

Gavi has since won 12 caps for Spain and is a regular for club and country heading into next month’s FIFA World Cup.

Bayer Leverkusen Considering Xabi Alonso for Manager Role

Posted on October 4, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Xabi Alonso may be headed to Germany…

Bayer Leverkusen is considering firing current manager Gerardo Seoane and looking to appoint the 40-year-old Spanish football manager and former professional player as his replacement, according to ESPN.

Seoane will be in charge for Leverkusen’s Champions League Group B game with FC Porto on Tuesday, but his future is uncertain after a poor start to the Bundesliga season with the club sitting 17th after picking up five points from eight games.

Alonso has been out of work since leaving Real Sociedad B in May after a successful three years in charge.

Sources told ESPN that he would welcome the challenge of turning around Leverkusen’s season.

Seoane managed Leverkusen to a third-place finish in the Bundesliga in his debut campaign last year, qualifying for the Champions League, but they have struggled so far this season.

Sources told ESPN that Alonso has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Seoane over the last week.

Germany’s Sport1 reported that Leverkusen had contacted Thomas Tuchel, who was sacked by Chelsea last month, but the former Borussia Dortmund coach turned down the approach.

Alonso is highly rated as a managerial prospect. He starred as a player for Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich before retiring in 2017.

He began his coaching career with Real Madrid’s academy before taking over Sociedad’s B team in 2019, leading them to promotion to the Second Division in 2021 for the first time in 60 years before departing this summer.

Sociedad had been keen to keep him on board as a potential future first-team manager, but the performance of Imanol Alguacil in the role meant that was not an option in the short-term, and Alonso preferred to seek a new opportunity.

Erik Lamela Wins FIFA’s Puskas Award

Posted on January 17, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Erik Lamela is celebrating his award-winning rabona…

The 29-year-old Argentine professional footballer, who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for La Liga club Sevilla and the Argentina national team, has won this year’s Puskas Award.

Lamela earned the award for his “rabona” for Tottenham Hotspur against Arsenal.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski equaled Cristiano Ronaldo‘s FIFA The Best record when he won the award for a second time on Monday.

The Bayern Munich forward retained his FIFA The Best award following an incredible campaign in which he scored a Bundesliga record 41 goals, fighting off competition from Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel claimed the Manager of the Year award following success in the Champions League in 2021.

Chelsea and Senegal‘s Edouard Mendy won the Goalkeeper of the Year award.

Denmark team and staff won the Fair Play award following their reaction to Christian Eriksen‘s cardiac arrest at Euro 2020. Denmark and Finland fans also received the Best Fan award for their spontaneous unified chanting in support of Eriksen after he was taken off the pitch.

The award was first handed out in its present guise in 2016, after FIFA ended their five-year partnership with the Ballon d’Or. Ronaldo, who was given a special award for breaking the international men’s goal scoring record in 2021, won back-to-back awards in the first two years.

Meanwhile, Messi and part-Brazilian player Jorginho were named to the FIFA FIFPro Men’s World XI team.

FIFA FIFPro Men’s World XI
Gianluigi Donnarumma – Paris Saint-Germain, Italy
David Alaba – Real Madrid, Austria
Ruben Dias – Manchester City, Portugal
Leonardo Bonucci – Juventus, Italy
Jorginho – Chelsea, Italy
N’Golo Kante – Chelsea, France
Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City, Belgium
Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United, Portugal
Erling Haaland – Borussia Dortmund, Norway
Robert Lewandowski – Bayern Munich, Poland
Lionel Messi – Paris Saint-Germain, Argentina

Barcelona midfielder Alexia Putellas won the women’s award.

Aston Villa Agrees to Deal for Philippe Coutinho

Posted on January 7, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s official…Philippe Coutinho is headed to Birmingham.

Aston Villa has agreed on a deal to sign the 29-year-old Brazilian professional footballer and former Liverpool midfielder on loan from Barcelona until the end of the season, the Premier League club announced on Friday.

The agreement, which is subject to Coutinho completing a medical and receiving a work permit, also includes an option to buy, and Philippe will travel to Birmingham in the next 48 hours.

ESPN sources say that five Premier League sides held talks with Coutinho’s camp, with Villa and one other English club showing the most serious interest.

However, the presence of Steven Gerrard, Coutinho’s former teammate at Liverpool, helped swing the balance in Villa’s favor.

The Premier League club said in a statement: “Aston Villa and FC Barcelona have agreed terms for Philippe Coutinho to spend the rest of this season on loan at Villa Park.

“The agreement, which is subject to the player completing a medical and receiving a work permit, also includes an option to buy and Philippe will travel to Birmingham in the next 48 hours.”

Gerrard, who left Rangers to replace Dean Smith as the coach at Villa Park at the end of last year, played a key role in persuading the Brazilian to make the move to the Midlands.

Coutinho has previously been reluctant to leave Barca, but a desire to play regular football in a World Cup year has led to a change of mind.

Barca made Coutinho their most expensive signing ever when they paid Liverpool €160 million for him in 2018.

His first season at Camp Nou, playing alongside Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, ended with a domestic double, but he lost his way in his second term.

He spent the 2019-20 season on loan at German giants Bayern Munich, scoring twice as they beat Barca 8-2 on the way to winning the Champions League, before returning to Spain for the following campaign.

Ronald Koeman said he would help Coutinho rediscover his best form, but injury problems held the player back under the Dutch manager.

He missed the second half of last season with injuries and has started just once, a 1-0 loss to Real Betis, since new coach Xavi Hernandez was appointed in November.

When asked about Coutinho’s departure in a news conference on Friday, Xavi said: “It says a lot about Coutinho that he’s gone out on loan because he wants to play, and reducing his salary. He’s a great pro.

“It wasn’t working for him here and he’s looked for a solution. He wants to succeed. We will see what happens with Samu [Umtiti.] I don’t have any complaints about anyone. All the players are professional. I’m delighted with those that are playing but also those that aren’t.”

Coutinho tested positive for COVID-19 last week, but should be cleared to fly to England in the coming days and could come into contention for Villa’s Premier League game against Manchester United on January 15.

Five Premier League Clubs Reportedly Interested in Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho

Posted on January 5, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Philippe Coutinho could be making a premier move…

The 29-year-old Brazilian soccer player is open to leaving FC Barcelona this month and five Premier League clubs, including Aston Villa, have expressed an interest in signing him on loan, according to ESPN sources.

Coutinho’s agent Kia Joorabchian is working in collaboration with Barca to find a new home for the Brazil international, who wants to play regular football before the World Cup in Qatar later this year.

Multiple sources have confirmed that Villa, coached by Coutinho’s former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard, are one of the clubs interested in signing the attacking midfielder.

A source close to Coutinho’s camp added that talks with all interested parties are still at a very early stage and that “no [club] is being ruled out at this stage.”

“It’s all to do with the football project more than anything else,” the source added.

Another source revealed that Everton are one of the clubs who have held talks over a deal for Coutinho, who spent five years at their Merseyside rivals Liverpool before joining Barca for a club record €160 million fee in 2018.

However, there is an internal debate at Goodison Park, with owner Farhad Moshiri keen on doing a deal for Coutinho, while coach Rafa Benitez is not yet on board.

Coutinho became Barca’s club-record signing four years ago but has struggled to make a mark at Camp Nou. He was given a second chance under Ronald Koeman following a loan spell with Bayern Munich but has once again fallen down the pecking order under new coach Xavi Hernandez.

Barca are ready to facilitate a loan deal as they need to move players on to register new signing Ferran Torres and any other potential January arrivals and Coutinho, as the club’s biggest earner, is one player they’re seeking a new home for.

Coutinho himself has previously been reluctant to leave but with the World Cup around the corner he wants to ensure he does not miss out on the Brazil squad for the finals in Qatar.

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