Alonso: Leverkusen Can Still Catch Bayern Despite Eight-Point Gap

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso remains optimistic about his team's title chances despite a 0-0 draw with Bayern Munich, which left them eight points behind the league leaders.

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso refused to give up on the title despite his team's 0-0 draw with Bayern Munich on Saturday, which left them eight points behind the league leaders. Leverkusen, the defending champions, dominated the match but were unable to break through Bayern's defense.

The draw marked a rare occasion where Bayern Munich failed to register a shot on goal in a league game, with this occurrence happening only once since 1992. Alonso expressed his satisfaction with his team's performance, stating, “We played very well. We did everything we could do to win, other than score a goal.” He also acknowledged his surprise at Leverkusen's dominance over the league leaders.

Alonso elaborated on his team's performance, saying, “To be honest, and I've seen many Bayern games this season and they're very dominant, we were dominant. You can see from the stats today how dominant we were. We just missed some precision.” Despite the missed opportunity, Alonso's comments suggest that Leverkusen remains committed to chasing the title.

🗣️ Xabi's thoughts following tonight's draw. #B04FCB pic.twitter.com/qVqQgaTq49

— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) February 15, 2025

Xabi Alonso remains optimistic about Bayer Leverkusen's title chances despite the 0-0 draw with Bayern Munich, which left them eight points behind the league leaders. Alonso emphasized that the season is far from over, saying, “For the table, it wasn't enough (to make a difference). But the season is not over yet.” He drew parallels with last season's successful title campaign, adding, “As I said last year, we can speak in April. There's still many points to play for.”

Alonso reiterated Leverkusen's commitment to fighting on all fronts, stating, “Without a doubt, we'll keep fighting in each competition and we want to keep winning.” Despite the disappointment of not securing a win, Alonso took heart from his team's performance, noting, "It showed we can match it with anyone." He also highlighted the significance of this display in the context of their Champions League campaign, saying, “It's something we can build on in the league, but especially in the Champions League.”

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany responded to criticism that his team did not deserve the draw, arguing that they demonstrated the necessary mentality to secure a result. Kompany said, “Leverkusen earned the right to put us under pressure, but we showed the mentality to block shots - guys like Harry (Kane) and Jamal (Musiala) who are normally scoring goals for us.” Kompany's comments underscored Bayern's resilience in securing a point despite being dominated by Leverkusen.