Bundesliga
Hitzfeld raves about Alonso and Bayer: “A role model”
Former top coach Ottmar Hitzfeld (archive photo) praises the work of Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso. photo
© Robert Ghement/EPA/dpa/Archive
Bayer Leverkusen is storming through the Bundesliga undefeated so far. Ottmar Hitzfeld is also enthusiastic about this. The two-time Champions League winner raves about the Bayer coach.
“He was a great midfielder himself and you can see that he transferred his philosophy to the team,” emphasized Hitzfeld. The Rhinelanders are the only undefeated team at the top of the Bundesliga table.
The former successful coach Hitzfeld remains skeptical as to whether it will actually be enough to win the first German championship in the club’s history. “It’s a long road to the championship,” he said. “They had a good start and they have the substance in the team. Now they can play freely, but when it comes to the championship in the end, Bayern generally have more experience in the last games and more nerve.” The Munich team is the first pursuer in the table.
Hitzfeld does not believe that another team will intervene in the championship fight. “It will probably be a close duel between Leverkusen and Bayern,” he said.