Bayer Leverkusen dropped extra factors within the Bundesliga on Friday evening, as Xabi Alonso’s aspect struggled for prime type forward of the journey to Liverpool.
The Reds host the reigning Bundesliga holders within the Champions League on Tuesday night, seeking to win a fourth recreation in a row within the competitors this season.
Alonso’s Leverkusen aspect had been the discuss of Europe in 2023/24, going the whole league season unbeaten and likewise reaching the Europa League remaining.
Issues aren’t going as swimmingly this time round, nonetheless, with the Bundesliga champions solely managing a 0-0 draw at residence to VfB Stuttgart on Friday.
It’s a outcome that leaves them seven factors adrift of leaders Bayern Munich within the desk, who gained 3-0 in opposition to Union Berlin in one other Harry Kane-inspired victory.
Leverkusen have now solely gained certainly one of their final 5 matches within the Bundesliga, highlighting their drop-off in type, they usually solely drew 1-1 at Brest of their final Champions League recreation.
Alonso: “Huge recreation to play at Anfield”
That mentioned, Alonso remained in assured spirits after the Stuttgart match, hailing his aspect’s efficiency regardless of the dropped factors.
“We’re sad. We thought we had executed sufficient to win it,” Alonso mentioned by way of Reuters.
“Perhaps probably the most full efficiency from us though we didn’t rating. It was a prime recreation. From Monday we give attention to Liverpool, massive recreation to play in Anfield.”
He added: “It’s an enormous recreation. To play within the Champions League at Anfield, it may well’t get significantly better than that. The environment is tremendous.
“They’re certainly one of greatest groups in Europe, they’re dominant so it’s an enormous problem, they’ll make it troublesome for us.”
Leverkusen don’t look the drive they had been final season – such imperious type is arguably unsustainable two years in a row – so Liverpool must be assured of taking extra factors on Tuesday.
Alonso’s aspect stay a high quality crew who will trigger the Reds issues, nonetheless, not least within the type of star man Florian Wirtz, who has been linked with a transfer to Europe’s elite golf equipment.
Victory for Liverpool can be one other main step in the direction of qualification for the knockout rounds, making a few of their later group stage video games much less pressurised.
Bayer Leverkusen’s XI vs. Stuttgart: Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Mukiele, Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo; Frimpong, Wirtz; Boniface
