Between 2008 and 2013, Michal Kadlec (39) worked in Leverkusen. However, he won the championship title only now, when he returned to the BayArena as a TV expert for the Nova Sport station. “A very nice return,” he says in an interview with Livesport Zprávy, in which he talks about sporting director Simon Rolfes (42), with whom he once played, and the charm of coach Xabi Alonso (42).
How were the celebrations?
“It was beautiful. The whole club enjoyed them, the fans. The atmosphere in the stadium was amazing. You could see from the people that the wait for the title is long and they probably ran onto the pitch two or three times during the game and then had to rush back to the sectors. Although no one here will admit it, they had the label “Vizekusen” (eternal second) deep inside and they are glad that it has already been erased by the title.
What was it like to return to such a solemn moment?
“Very pleasant. As always when you come back to somewhere you know very well and loved it there. I have fond memories of Leverkusen. We reminisced about the old days. I met former team-mate Simon Rolfes and other guys who work at club.”
I know you’re in constant contact with them, you’ve been following Leverkusen’s situation throughout the season, but when did it dawn on you that Bayer were really aiming for the title?
“About the moment when Bayern started losing points and Leverkusen still didn’t have the crisis that everyone was expecting. But it didn’t come at all. So about a month ago, I really thought that it would really work out. After that, Bayern definitely dropped out and it was it’s only a matter of time before that happens.”
: “Fantastic! From today!”
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@novasport_cz pic.twitter.com/u7RonEalbh— Martin Kubicik (@MKubicik) April 15, 2024
How is it possible that Leverkusen works like this?
“I had a live chat with Simon Rolfes, previously a physiotherapist, who I have also experienced, and they agreed that there is a great team at the club. A great group. It’s not divided there. Xabi Alonso has really cemented Leverkusen together . And when the great players who are there join it, it works.”
They can’t praise Alonso, can they?
“He has great respect. What he says is valid. Moreover, it is not customary for a coach to put on football boots and run with you in training, or to show himself what he imagines from the players on the pitch. In the Czech Republic, for example, this is rarely seen. These are his other pluses, because when they see this, Xabi can communicate in English and Spanish. And most of all, it is known that the players can exchange five or six for him players and it works out for them anyway.”
At the same time, Alonso was coming to the team, which was second to last after eight laps. In the next season, he already led it to the title. Isn’t it a miracle?
“In the beginning, the goal was to find a coach who would save Bayer. That’s when Simon Rolfes had a golden hand when he brought Xabi out. He told us how he remembers their first video call and that they immediately hit it off because they had the same goals and vision of football. And that’s when something big started. The team had time to play, to learn Alonso’s game principles, they strengthened well over the summer. I dare say that Alonso changed a lot of players and their thinking, because the way they play, how they play they sacrifice and decide matches even in the last moments, it is above all about the head and its attitude.”
Kadlec played for Leverkusen between 2008 and 2013. (©Profimedia)
Bayer is a family club, not a giant. But now he has won the title, he will want to succeed in the Champions League. There will be greater demands on him. Can such success not change Leverkusen?
“Bayer is changing gradually. It has changed a lot since I played at the club. More expensive players are now being bought, which was not much at the time. The salaries were also not very high. I can imagine that Alonso does not work there for little money either. They probably don’t match Bayern in this regard, but you have to come close. They sold Kai Havertz for big money. We’ll see how it goes now level, they will have to invest again And it also depends on what Bayern…”
Are you afraid that he won’t come for Florian Wirtz, for example?
“Always, when he didn’t win the title, he did it. He bought, for example, Mario Götze. Then Robert Lewandowski followed him… But they also asked about Alonso. But I think Leverkusen will stand it now and keep their stars, or not sell them to Bayern.”
Can you name one or two players who you liked the most from the reinforcements?
“The first thing that comes to mind is probably Granit Xhaka. It was an unexpected arrival, no one expected that he would succeed in bringing him from England, it was a masterpiece. And then I have to say, of course, Victor Boniface, whom probably few people knew, but Leverkusen had a great I must also mention the recovered Florian Wirtz, who had a ligament injury, no one knew how he would deal with it and in what condition he would come back.”
Xhaka’s stats against Bremen. (©Opta by Stats Perform / AFP)
Is Xhaka Bayer’s understated leader?
“Yes, when I talked to people from the club, they told me that he is the boss. Even though Hradecky is the captain, Xhaka manages the team and everything was organized around him.”
How do you see the situation of Czech players? Will Adam Hložek leave in the summer?
“The question is whether Leverkusen count on him. It was more difficult because he didn’t like the style that Bayer played. He didn’t fit in very well. He didn’t have a place there, that’s why he didn’t play that much. I had a chat with him before the game now and he was sad that he injured, but it is not that serious and he would like to at least make the German Cup final. He has to evaluate what his next steps will be with the club and his manager, but it is clear that at his age he needs to play regularly.”
Will Matěj Kovář be number one from the summer?
“Kovář knew what he was getting into, and so did Leverkusen. On the one hand, hats off to how much he caught and that Alonso gave him space. In the new season, he can capture the Champions League, which is another level higher. I think everyone there they realize that Hradecky is not the youngest and that Matěj is counted on to score.”
A co Patrik Schick?
“He is after a long injury, so he is certainly happy that he was able to get into it again and now he will want to play before the Euros, where anything can happen and maybe even change his place of work if he succeeds. He has Boniface at Bayer, it is possible , that the club will bring in some more reinforcements in the summer… On the other hand, Alonso will need a wider squad to be successful on multiple fronts, so it won’t be so easy with the eventual departure of Patrik.”
Table
1
Bayer Leverkusen
29
25
4
0
74 : 19
79
2
Bayern Munich
29
20
3
6
82 : 36
63
3
VfB Stuttgart
29
20
3
6
67 : 34
63
4
RB Leipzig
29
17
5
7
67 : 33
56
5
Borussia Dortmund
29
16
8
5
57 : 34
56
6
Eintracht Frankfurt
29
10
12
7
43 : 39
42
7
FC Augsburg
29
10
9
10
47 : 46
39
8
SC Freiburg
29
11
6
12
41 : 52
39
9
TSG Hoffenheim
29
10
6
13
49 : 57
36
10
1. FC Heidenheim
29
8
10
11
42 : 50
34
11
Borussia Monchengladbach
29
7
10
12
50 : 56
31
12
Werder Brémy
29
8
7
14
36 : 49
31
13
Union Berlin
29
8
5
16
25 : 45
29
14
VfL Wolfsburg
29
7
7
15
34 : 50
28
15
VfL Bochum
29
5
12
12
34 : 59
27
16
1. FSV Mainz 05
29
5
11
13
30 : 47
26
17
1. FC Cologne
29
4
10
15
23 : 51
22
18
SV Darmstadt
29
2
8
19
28 : 72
14
The article was originally published for Livesport News.
