Xabi Alonso, the highly esteemed Basque tactician, is navigating a decidedly challenging season at the helm of Bayer Leverkusen. Despite his remarkable achievement of leading the team to a historic domestic double last season, sans a single defeat, Alonso’s current campaign has been beset by difficulties. Leverkusen’s struggles to cope with the weight of expectation as defending Bundesliga champions have, on occasion, exposed Alonso’s relative inexperience in the managerial arena.

However, it is essential to contextualize Alonso’s situation, recognizing that he is still in the nascent stages of his senior managerial career, with only two full seasons under his belt. His decision to remain with Leverkusen last season, despite overtures from Liverpool and Bayern, has proven to be a prudent one. The trials and tribulations of the current season will undoubtedly provide Alonso with invaluable experience, allowing him to hone his craft and mature as a manager.

Leverkusen’s recent performances have been decidedly underwhelming, with the team’s Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich followed by a disappointing loss to Werder Bremen. The six-point chasm between Leverkusen and Bayern in the Bundesliga appears, at this juncture, to be an insurmountable obstacle.

In a shocking turn of events, Leverkusen’s most recent defeat may be the most humbling of all. The reigning DFB-Pokal champions suffered a stunning loss to 3. Liga side Arminia Bielefeld in the cup semi-final. Arminia, who have been this season’s giant killers in the Pokal, have already dispatched several top-flight teams, including Union Berlin, Freiburg, and Bremen. Their victory over Leverkusen serves as a testament to their unwavering determination, resilience, and unrelenting spirit.