Bayern Munich have won a record eleven straight Bundesliga titles. Their dominance over German football in the last decade has been unprecedented, and at times, it has appeared to be impossible to topple.
However, a 3-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday evening proved the vulnerability of this Bayern side and, more importantly, left them five points behind Die Werkself at the top of the table. With a twelfth straight Meisterschale hanging in the balance, head coach Thomas Tuchel will need to transform his side’s fortunes as the season progresses.
As well as this, there will have to be some hope that Die Werkself stumble towards the finish line in a similar manner to Borussia Dortmudn last season. Regardless, that is an outcome that does not appear all too promising from a Bayern perspective, with Leverkusen steam rolling towards their first ever German championship.
As the Werkself remain unbeaten in all competitions, Xabi Alonso continues to be linked with a move away from the club. With interest from the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich, the Spaniard will certainly have a lot of thinking to do this summer.
Nevertheless, if Bayern had their way, he would already be in Bavaria. In an interview with Abendzeitung München, former CEO of Bayern Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed that he attempted to persuade Alonso to become a coach at Bayern during his time at the club:
“I also wanted to get him as an assistant coach (2018/19), but unfortunately that didn’t work out back then. Even as a player, he was the conductor on the pitch and impressed with his high level of playing intelligence and discipline. He trained with the best coaches, from Jupp Heynckes to Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti – and intelligent as he is, he has obviously pooled and saved this experience. I can only take my hat off for what he has done to Bayer. You have to remember that when he came, they were second to last. Now they are first with this attractive football.”
While Alonso may not be a Bayern coach now, that does not rule out the possibility of it happening in the future. Regardless, the Spaniard is on a mission to make history with the Werkself, and another season at the BayArena could be a reality.
GGFN | Will Shopland
