LEVERKUSEN, Germany — Xabi Alonso sank to his knees, leaned again and put each palms over his face. As soon as once more, his group failed to attain.
HT Picture
Bayer Leverkusen had already hit the bar twice when Florian Wirtz skewed a shot simply extensive of the publish in added time, prompting his coach’s show of frustration on Saturday.
Alonso admitted even he was stunned how properly his group’s ways labored towards a Bayern Munich group which was rendered nearly toothless. “We didn’t expect to be so dominant,” Alonso mentioned.
The one drawback was, Leverkusen did not win. Its Bundesliga title protection now seems a faint hope.
“There are mixed feelings. On one side, the feeling that you have played a fantastic game. I think that the way we have played, it’s been our best game against Bayern this year, probably even last year,” Alonso said.
“The way we have been able to play, with the ball, against the ball, we have done almost everything right. We missed the goal, but we have created enough chances to score, so from that side I have to compliment my team. Really a fantastic performance.”
Alonso benched each of his major strikers and relied on Wirtz’s creativity and the tempo of Jeremie Frimpong and Nathan Tella to check Bayern’s protection. All of them had probabilities to attain, however none did.
With a 0-0 draw, Bayern’s lead stays eight factors and Leverkusen’s already slim title hopes now doubtless require Bayern to break down over the 12 remaining video games.
Alonso remained unbeaten in six video games as a coach towards Bayern in all competitions. They could meet once more quickly. If Bayern can get previous Celtic within the Champions League playoffs, it faces both Leverkusen or Atletico Madrid within the spherical of 16. Kane not an element
Bayern recorded simply two pictures all recreation, neither on the right track, and none earlier than the 73rd minute.
It was hardly an important showcase for Harry Kane, whose England coach Thomas Tuchel was watching from the stands.
All Kane needed to present for his effort was an offside, off-target header within the first half — Kane wanted medical remedy after colliding face-first with a defender on his comply with by — and a shot that was fired right into a defender’s legs and went down as a block.
Coach Vincent Kompany mentioned his group “expended a lot of energy” in beating Celtic 2-1 on Wednesday and praised his group’s gritty defending. “We defended well and it comes after a huge fight in Glasgow. We have to be ready again on Tuesday.”
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