Having started the season as Victor Boniface's back-up, Patrik Schick has stepped up while the Nigeria international has been out injured.The Czech international makes no secret of the fact that he

“Players like Xabi Alonso in midfield have the capacity to read the whole game,” Simeone said then. “Alonso’s return meant Madrid found the famous ‘balance’ their coach (then Carlo Ancelotti) was looking for. But the balance is Xabi Alonso, not the others.”

Xabi Alonso could make up to five changes to his Bayer Leverkusen side ahead of their Champions League against Atlético Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano on Tuesday night.Lukas Hradecky, Arthur,

Xabi Alonso believed that Bayer Leverkusen's Bundesliga victory over Borussia Dortmund on Friday showed the improved discipline of the reigning champions.

The two standout German teams from last season are on opposite trajectories as the pressure mounts in the Bundesliga and Champions League.

Bayer Leverkusen has started the year with a big boost to its hopes of defending the Bundesliga title after beating a depleted Borussia Dortmund 3-2.

Concerns about the loss of Victor Boniface have quickly faded for Bayer Leverkusen the reigning Bundesliga champions The Nigerian forward sidelined

Xabi Alonso's men began 2025 in the manner they had hoped, as Die Werkself handed Borussia Dortmund their first home league defeat of the season with a 3-2 win at Signal Iduna Park. Patrik Schick netted a brace in the opening 19 minutes to make it 11 goals in his last six Bundesliga appearances.

Patrik Schick scored a first-half brace as Bayer Leverkusen ... we're focused on ourselves and we're on the right track," Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka told DAZN. Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso benched in-form midfielder Florian Wirtz due to an "internal issue".

Bayer Leverkusen have started the year with a big boost to their hopes of defending the Bundesliga title by beating a depleted Borussia Dortmund line-up.

The German Bundesliga returns after the winter break with Borussia Dortmund at home to defending champions Bayer Leverkusen on Friday. Nuri Sahin's men host Xabi Alonso's side at Signal Iduna Park with BVB having won just one of their last five games pre-Christmas.

Bayer Leverkusen’s 11-match winning run in all competitions was ended by a stunning comeback from the 10 men of Atlético Madrid, who emerged 2-1 winners in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) to overtake the German champions and climb into the top three.