Sport Josip Stanisic
Why a Leverkusen player hoped for Alonso’s move to FC Bayern
As of: 1:05 p.m. | Reading time: 4 minutes
Bayer Leverkusen is in the final of the DFB Cup
Bayer Leverkusen is in the final of the DFB Cup. The Bundesliga table leaders clearly beat second division team Fortuna Düsseldorf 4-0 in the semi-finals. The cup final will take place on May 25th in Berlin. Coach Alonso’s Werkself will face 1. FC Kaiserslautern there.
Josip Stanisic is playing a historically successful season with Bayer Leverkusen. The defender somewhat regrets that Xabi Alonso remains coach. There is a special reason for this. It’s about his personal future.
You could tell he was looking forward to winning the championship. Despite being 13 points ahead of FC Bayern in the Bundesliga table, Josip Stanisic put it very diplomatically: “A lot has to go wrong for us not to be champions in the end,” said Bayer Leverkusen’s full-back on Wednesday evening.
Shortly before, he had won 4-0 (3-0) with Bayer in the semi-finals of the DFB Cup against the second division club Fortuna Düsseldorf, the goals were scored by Jeremie Frimpong (7th minute), Amine Adli (20th) and Florian Wirtz (35th). , 60./hand penalty).
Josip Stanisic – it is one of the very special football stories of this season. Before the season, FC Bayern loaned him to Leverkusen at very short notice because coach Thomas Tuchel had made it clear to him that he did not see him in an important role at Bayern.
And now the 24-year-old can win the treble with Bayer and has also made it to the quarter-finals of the Europa League with the team. Stanisic has made 28 appearances at Bayer so far this season – and feels very comfortable at the club.
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“We went in with the intensity that we wanted to give everything and close things early. We succeeded very well,” said Stanisic after reaching the cup final, which will take place on May 25th in the Berlin Olympic Stadium. The opponent is the second division club 1. FC Kaiserslautern, which defeated the third division club 1. FC Saarbrücken in the first semi-final (2-0).
Regarding the title chances, the defensive professional said: “We are doing very well in the Bundesliga and cup. Of course, anything can happen in the final as well as in the Bundesliga. We have a 13 point lead but we won’t rest on our laurels.”
Josip Stanisic: “It’s a bit of a shame for me”
After reaching the cup final, he also spoke about the whereabouts of coach Xabi Alonso. And surprisingly revealed that he had hoped for Alonso to move to FC Bayern.
When asked whether he was happy about his coach’s commitment to Bayer, Stanisic replied: “Well, I’m happy that he’s happy here. Of course it’s a bit of a shame for me. Maybe I was hoping for a different outcome. But this is not a dream concert.” Alonso announced last week that he wanted to stay in Leverkusen after the season, despite requests from top clubs like Bayern. The timing of his statement was perfect, said Stanisic.
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The defender said of his move before the season: “In hindsight, it was the right step. The hope was that I would get playing time and be able to develop further. It was difficult in the first half of the season because I was often more dissatisfied.” But in the end it’s about the team, “they have developed brutally. For me it’s all the better that I’m away from Bavaria and can still become champions. It’s just fun, that’s why I’m a footballer.”
Stanisic will probably return to FC Bayern in the summer. His advisor Dieter Hoeneß, brother of Uli Hoeneß, the honorary president of Munich, said at the beginning of March: “He will return again. He still has a contract until 2026. There is no clause and no purchase option for Bayer Leverkusen, so he will be back at FC Bayern in the summer.
“Don’t think about anything else”
What will be crucial for Stanisic is whether the new Bayern coach plans to use him or, like Tuchel, has no use for him. The Munich team wants to have a new coach hired by the end of April if possible. Candidates include Ralf Rangnick, Julian Nagelsmann, Zinédine Zidane and Roberto de Zerbi.
That’s why Stanisic is still keeping his future open: “Until the last game is played, I won’t think about anything else. Let’s see, you never know what will happen in the summer.”
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Bayern are likely to have a great interest in keeping the Munich native. Especially after Stanisic’s convincing season (estimated market value: 18 million euros). In addition, Bayern fans really respect “home-grown players” in the professional squad.
The transfer chaos at FC Bayern began last summer with the loan of Stanisic and the sale of Benjamin Pavard (he moved to Inter Milan for 30 million euros). Without the two defense professionals who could be used flexibly, the Munich team repeatedly had major personnel problems in defense. As an “emergency nail”, the German record champions signed right-back Sacha Boey from Galatasaray Istanbul for a transfer fee of 30 million euros.
Josip Stanisic can win the treble with Bayer Leverkusen
Source: picture alliance/dpa/Revierfoto
Looking back, Stanisic’s case is considered one of the biggest transfer mistakes at FC Bayern in recent years. Now he could make a new attempt in Munich next season – even without Alonso. As a master. Or even a triple winner. Josip Stanisic: what a football story.
