Bayer Leverkusen secured a dramatic victory in the first round of the Bundesliga. They took a 2-0 lead in the first half but were pegged back by their opponents. However, in the last minute of the match – the 101st minute – Wirtz’s goal sealed a comeback win and a winning start to the season.
After the match, Leverkusen head coach Alonso said: “I have no explanation for this, that’s football, it happens to us often, but I also want to analyze what happened. We were 2-0 up, we could have played better and had many chances to extend the lead. Then we conceded a goal from a set piece, the game opened up. But we showed resilience and eventually turned the game around. I’m happy with the result and our performance, but of course there are also areas that need improvement.”
Asked about the specific areas for improvement, Alonso said: “We need to learn how to control the tempo of the game better when we are ahead. We were 2-0 up at the time but failed to stay calm. Gladbach pressed high and caused us a lot of trouble, so it’s not easy to control the game in such circumstances.”
Speaking about the team’s squad depth, Alonso said: “We have a very strong squad. Perhaps there’s room for further improvement. We’ve spoken to Simon and Fernando, the goal is to build a complete team. This season’s schedule will be very tight, the Bundesliga is our priority, but we are also looking forward to making a mark in the Champions League.”
Asked about positions where the team needs to strengthen, Alonso smiled and said: “We will carefully assess the team’s needs.”
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