by Oliver Trust
BERLIN, April 21 (Xinhua) -- A clouded mood hangs over Bayer Leverkusen and head coach Xabi Alonso.
As speculations persist about the Spanish coach's potential move to Real Madrid this summer, the 2024 German champion appears to have conceded its Bundesliga title defense following a 10th draw of the season.
With four games remaining and an eight-point deficit - plus a 29-goal gap - Alonso and players like Patrik Schick and Jonathan Tah have acknowledged that Bayern Munich is likely to reclaim the title. "The chance is gone," Schick said, while Tah added, "It hurts, as our claim is different."
If Bayern defeats Mainz and Leverkusen draws with Augsburg, the Bavarians would seal their 34th national title as early as next weekend.
Meanwhile, Alonso and midfield star Florian Wirtz continue to dominate headlines. Transfer insiders, including Fabrizio Romano, reported Real Madrid is making a strong push to sign Alonso as a replacement for Carlo Ancelotti, who is rumored to be eyeing the Brazilian national team job. Some reports suggest Real could loan out Turkish talent Arda Guler as part of a deal to reduce the compensation owed to Leverkusen. Alonso is under contract through 2026.
Leverkusen's failure to defend the league title is expected to be followed by a team restructuring, led by CEO Simon Rolfes and chairman Fernando Carro.
The German tabloid Bild reported that Alonso remains Real's top priority and that Leverkusen has accepted the likelihood of his departure. The club is said to be demanding a decision from its 2024 double-winning coach in the coming days.
Wirtz's future is also in question. While Bayern Munich is said to be willing to break financial boundaries to sign the 21-year-old, speculation is mounting that he may follow Alonso to Spain.
Additional departures may follow. Tah has been linked to Barcelona, while Schick is reportedly eyeing a move to the Premier League. "I stick to my decision to leave after this season," Tah said on Easter Sunday.
Swiss international and former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka is also attracting interest from multiple European clubs.
Despite the uncertainty, Alonso has remained reserved about his future. "It's not the perfect time to speak about the future," he said.
Behind the scenes, Leverkusen is reportedly searching for a coach with a similar philosophy. Sebastian Hoeness appears to be out of the running after extending his contract with Stuttgart. Leverkusen is said to be expecting a transfer fee in the double-digit millions and is awaiting a final call from Real Madrid.
