Updated 4 August 2023 at 18:24 IST
Xabi Alonso signs a contract extension as coach of Bayer Leverkusen after a strong first season
Prior to this, Xabi Alonso's contract was set to expire at the conclusion of the 2023–24 season. Alonso's position with Leverkusen marks his debut as a senior squad coach.
Xabi Alonso extended his contract as coach of German club Bayer Leverkusen through to 2026 on Friday after a strong first season led to speculation linking him with some of Europe’s top teams.
Alonso, who won the Champions League as a player with Liverpool and Real Madrid and the World Cup with Spain, took over Leverkusen in October when it was second-to-last in the Bundesliga. The team finished the season in sixth and reached the semifinals of the Europa League.
“I see last season as a positive. But I want more, exactly as the club does. We are now working on that with ambition,” Alonso said in a statement.
His contract had previously been due to run out at the end of the 2023-24 season. The Leverkusen job is Alonso’s first as coach of a senior team after stints in Spain with Real Sociedad’s B-team and as a Real Madrid youth coach.
Published By : Associated Press Television News
Published On: 4 August 2023 at 18:24 IST