Bayer Leverkusen: Champions League-Mindset ensures victory against Milan!

Bayer Leverkusen: Champions League-Mindset ensures victory against Milan!

The 2023/24 football season is a challenge for Bayer Leverkusen and his fans that offers both new and known things. On Tuesday evening, the "Werkelf" prevailed against AC Milan with a narrow 1-0. So there are positive signs that the team continues to work on their self -confidence and their way of playing. However, the observers had the feeling that Leverkusen did not completely return to the dominance that she received last season.

coach Xabi Alonso could find that his team, even if they did not always have control over the game, occurred with a “Champions League mentality”. "We had the right respect. We played and understood seriously what to do," said Alonso, who emphasized the importance of mental attitude at this top player level. The Champions League not only demands sporting performance, but also a constant adaptation and learning from every encounter.

defensive stability and learning process

The defensive performance of the Leverkuseners, who have had two goals on average in five Bundesliga games in the current season, was particularly striking, while they are still without conceding in the Champions League. Granit Xhaka emphasized the importance of a strong mentality on the pitch: "If we put the mentality on the square, it is brutally difficult to score goals against us." This tactical discipline is increasingly becoming a trademark of the team.

The crucial goal of the game fell shortly after the break by Victor Boniface, which was due to a well -thought -out move. This efficiency is desired not only by the players, but also by the coaching bench. "We need to defend a result because we want a long way to have a long way in the Champions League," said Alonso and underlined that the game is also a kind of test run for future challenges.

Another highlight in the development of the team is defense chief Jonathan Tah, who played an outstanding role in this game. "We showed defensive resistance at the right time," said Simon Rolfes, sports director of the association, and made it clear how important such experiences are for young players.

a new perspective on football

Alonso, even a master of the game, took a lot of his experience as a player into the coaching position. During his active time, he was part of two Champions League final against AC Milan. "The AC Milan has seven Champions League titles, we don't have one. There is a story that you have to respect," said the coach before the game. This shows how important it is to deal with the history of the competition in order to motivate the players and to convey tactical subtleties.

The Leverkuseners have sent a clear message to their opponents in the last games: they not only want to repeat the success of the past season, but also develop their own style and grow beyond themselves. "You can see that the team becomes more experienced that it will be quieter," said Xhaka. This is also supported by the integration of the newcomer Aleix Garcia, who is increasingly establishing itself as a key player in midfield.

The outstanding performance of the Leverkusener in this game gives hope for a promising course in the Champions League. Their ability to improve both offensive and defensively will be crucial to successfully pass in this demanding competition landscape. An important aspect will be to internalize the learned lessons from every game and to continuously develop the team. More information on this exciting topic can be found in a detailed report on www.faz.net .