Bayer 04 haven’t progressed in the past four days. On the contrary. On Friday in Augsburg, the Werkself urgently needs a mood booster.
Tries everything to bundle forces in the direction of the European Cup: Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso.
IMAGO/RHR-Photo
Bayer 04 are not in a spirit of optimism ahead of the game at FCA. No wonder, since the Werkself are even more behind the European Cup places than before after the defeat against BVB. In addition, the team was not strengthened in the two problem positions in the winter transfer window. And the uncertainty about the return of striker Patrik Schick completes the package of worries.
Send further out
There is still a question mark over the Czech international, who has not played for Bayer since early November due to a groin problem. “With Patrik we still have to decide whether he’s in the squad or whether he needs a little more time,” said Xabi Alonso on Friday before the final training session, “but he’s feeling a lot better.” What sounds promising at first glance is, at best, conditionally so.
Xabi Alonso’s words do not provide an insightful explanation. Even if Schick, unlike Charles Aranguiz from six, who is suffering from calf problems (“Maybe he will return to team training next week”), is working with the team again. After all, the coach had spoken about Schick before the Dortmund game with almost the same choice of words as on Friday – who was then missing in the matchday squad. In any case, it is certain that the center forward cannot play a role in the starting eleven after three months without match practice on Friday.
Construction site left behind remained
So there will be no boost for the Werkself from the old staff in Augsburg. Nor was such a move initiated via the transfer market, where Bayer tried unsuccessfully to sign a left-back until the very end.
Xabi Alonso’s statement on this can safely be classified as the only diplomatically correct one. “I’m satisfied,” said the Spaniard, who initially wanted a real midfielder and a well-trained left-back.
The squad is good enough to climb the table. There’s a big gap to the top, but we’ll try.
After the commitment of a defensive midfielder was postponed to the summer early on for reasons of transfer tactics, Mitchel Bakker did not get a backup either. Xabi Alonso only says: “We mustn’t think about what happened, but what will happen. The squad is good enough to climb the table. The gap to the top is big, but we’ll try.”
The belief in the big comeback towards Europe apparently suffered after the defeat against Dortmund and the gap to the top that opened up again. “We have to be realistic. We know what our goals are, but also how the first part of the season went. We were and still are a long way behind sixth and fourth place,” the 41-year-old analyzed the situation in view of ten or eight points behind. And then gives a skeptical outlook: “It will be very, very, very difficult, but we will try.”
Only winning helps in Augsburg
What else should he say as a coach? Bayer has to win in Augsburg to keep the remaining chance and thus the hope of an international starting place alive. The actual Champions League contenders cannot afford another disappointment. Rather, a most convincing victory is needed so that the big blues under the Bayer cross don’t find their way into the Bundesliga shortly after the start of the second half of the season.
