Bayer Leverkusen dropped extra factors within the Bundesliga on Friday night time, as Xabi Alonso’s facet struggled for prime type forward of the journey to Liverpool.
The Reds host the reigning Bundesliga holders within the Champions League on Tuesday night, seeking to win a fourth sport in a row within the competitors this season.
Alonso’s Leverkusen facet had been the speak of Europe in 2023/24, going your complete league season unbeaten and likewise reaching the Europa League closing.
Issues aren’t going as swimmingly this time round, nevertheless, with the Bundesliga champions solely managing a 0-0 draw at house to VfB Stuttgart on Friday.
It’s a end result that leaves them seven factors adrift of leaders Bayern Munich within the desk, who received 3-0 towards Union Berlin in one other Harry Kane-inspired victory.
Leverkusen have now solely received considered one of their final 5 matches within the Bundesliga, highlighting their drop-off in type, they usually solely drew 1-1 at Brest of their final Champions League sport.
Alonso: “Large sport to play at Anfield”
That mentioned, Alonso remained in assured spirits after the Stuttgart match, hailing his facet’s efficiency regardless of the dropped factors.
“We’re sad. We thought we had achieved sufficient to win it,” Alonso mentioned by way of Reuters.
“Possibly probably the most full efficiency from us regardless that we didn’t rating. It was a prime sport. From Monday we concentrate on Liverpool, large sport to play in Anfield.”
He added: “It’s an enormous sport. To play within the Champions League at Anfield, it will probably’t get a lot better than that. The ambiance is tremendous.
“They’re considered one of finest groups in Europe, they’re dominant so it’s an enormous problem, they may make it troublesome for us.”
Leverkusen don’t look the pressure they had been final season – such imperious type is arguably unsustainable two years in a row – so Liverpool ought to be assured of taking extra factors on Tuesday.
Alonso’s facet stay a high quality group who will trigger the Reds issues, nevertheless, not least within the type of star man Florian Wirtz, who has been linked with a transfer to Europe’s elite golf equipment.
Victory for Liverpool can be one other main step in direction of qualification for the knockout rounds, making a few of their later group stage video games much less pressurised.
Bayer Leverkusen’s XI vs. Stuttgart: Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Mukiele, Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo; Frimpong, Wirtz; Boniface
