Alonso shocked: Leverkusen gave away the victory against Kiel again!

Alonso shocked: Leverkusen gave away the victory against Kiel again!

After the disappointing draw against Holstein Kiel, Bayer 04 Leverkusen had to take a lot of criticism. The coach Xabi Alonso and captain Lukas Hradecky agreed that the team did not take advantage of their advantages to finally decide the game. Instead, the team let the opponent come back into the game, which should not have happened. Alonso explained that games that are in their own hands can be won consistently instead of making them unnecessarily exciting.

In the first half, everything looked like a clear victory for Leverkusen. After just a few minutes it was already 2-0, with Florian Wirtz and Exequiel Palacios played significantly in the two goals. But what followed was a retreat after a promising start. As Hradecky expressed it metaphorically, the "patient in life" was left instead of deciding the game prematurely.

volatility of the performance

The surprising comeback from Kiel began when Leverkusen, instead of playing aggressively on a third goal, took over the defensive attitude. This led to uncertain actions that Kiel gave the chance to fight back. In injury time, Max Schwill scored the connection goal, which was seen as a direct sequence of inattentiveness on the defensive. Hradecky was visibly frustrated and spoke of a failure of intelligence on the pitch. "We thought the game was over, but it is simply not acceptable in the Bundesliga," he emphasized.

What tightens the situation is the fact that this is not the first time this season that Leverkusen gives a 2-0. The team had already made similar mistakes against Gladbach and Leipzig, which lost valuable points. The team conceded only 24 goals throughout the last season, now there are already 12 in just six games. Hradecky therefore made it clear: "We have not broadcast a seriousness."

Alonso, on the other hand, not only wanted to push the finger into the wound, but also pointed out that the mentality of his players had to be checked. The team must learn that each game has to be taken seriously, no matter what the opponent's name is. "After an intensive Champions League game against Wolfsburg, we did not show the right attitude," he noted, referring to the challenges that are waiting for the team next week.

With the approaching international break, Alonso cannot work with his key players to repair the deficits. Afterwards there is an important game against Eintracht Frankfurt on the agenda. Hradecky, who once played at Frankfurt himself, is very excited about the duel: "I hope that everyone will think about their performance. It cannot go on like this if we want to exist against Frankfurt."

The situation at Bayer 04 Leverkusen remains tense. The players have to become aware of their responsibility if they want to continue to be successful in the Bundesliga and internationally. The coming weeks will be crucial for the Werkself to show their class and to free themselves from the current misery.