Xabi Alonso slammed as 'very disappointed' Bayer Leverkusen player reveals he would have asked for transfer had Real Madrid boss not left
Ten Hag arrival seen as fresh chance
Leverkusen ace nearly pushed for move
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱
WHAT HAPPENED?
The 33-year-old midfielder has publicly criticised the former Leverkusen manager for lacking direct communication after he was relegated to a fringe role in the second half of the 2024-25 season. He told Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger that he expected 'open and honest' dialogue and was disappointed by the Spaniard's approach.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
While Alonso's tenure at Leverkusen was widely hailed for its historic Bundesliga title win, Hofmann's comments reveal underlying tensions behind the scenes. The midfielder made 46 appearances in 2023-24, but barely featured the following season, starting just four league games. His frustration suggests that not all players thrived under Alonso's leadership, despite the team's success. With new coach Erik ten Hag in place, the player is ready to fight for his place in the starting XI.
WHAT HOFMANN SAID
Hofmann targeted the former Leverkusen coach's leadership style, specifically his lack of clear communication with players during difficult periods. "I expect a coach to address something directly when he notices something. I expect open and direct communication. A coach shouldn't wait longer than two weeks for this, because as a coach, I want the players to be in top shape to raise the training level. There's always a need for competition, that's clear. I would have expected a bit more from the coach."
He added: "New coach, new opportunity. I'm a Bundesliga kid. I'm fighting my way back. I feel comfortable, but under Xabi Alonso, I probably would have considered a move. Personally, I'm putting last season in a box and don't want to take it out again. It was very disappointing for me, what happened there and how it played out. That's not what I'm aiming for."
WHAT NEXT FOR HOFMANN & ALONSO?
Hofmann is determined to regain his form under Ten Hag, while Alonso's challenge at Real Madrid may demand improved player relationships if the Leverkusen player's complaints are correct.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Liverpool leave massive clue star player is LEAVING
Liverpool have just left a massive clue that their star player is leaving the club. Adidas have finally returned to be the Reds' kit manufacturer after more than ten years away. You may have missed it with all the excitement but the launch of the new kit also left a major clue over the fate of one Reds star in particular. Shop the LFC Store LFC x adidas Shop the away range TODAY LFC x adidas Shop the home range today! LFC x adidas Shop the goalkeeper range today LFC x adidas Shop the new adidas range today! Notably, you will have seen a lot of the club's players missing from the kit launch. Out of the big stars the likes of Andy Robertson, Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Ibrahima Konate did not feature in the launch. Alisson Becker was also featured very sparsely in order to promote the goalkeeper kit. This is not a surprise. With the exception of Gakpo who is sponsored by Puma, the rest of the players are Nike athletes and therefore they will not have been able to participate in the kit launch. Virgil van Dijk who is also a Nike athlete, was a rare exception, he must have been given permission to appear in the advert given his status as a club captain. 🔴 Shop the LFC 2025/26 adidas away range from 9am TODAY There's a strong rivalry between the two brands, which is why for example when Nike were doing kit launches someone like Mohamed Salah, who is a prominent adidas athlete did not feature in the promotional advertisements. But while the notable Nike and Puma absentees are to be expected there was a notable adidas exemptions in the promotional material. Darwin Nunez is an adidas athlete after switching over from Nike last season. In pre-season, he has been spotted wearing the latest adidas F50s, which suggests that he still remains an adidas athlete. Yet, he was nowhere to be seen in the promotional material for the new shirt, which is a surprise given the fact that he is a prominent and star player for the Reds.
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
One-Time Former Red Wings Forward Earns Swiss MVP Award
While the National Hockey League career of former Detroit Red Wings forward Austin Czarnik may not have been anything record-breaking, he's proving to be one of the most valuable players of his new club in Switzerland.
New York Post
8 minutes ago
- New York Post
Mets' offense finally breaks through to beat Giants and end four-game skid
Access the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Try it free The Mets upgraded their bullpen at the trade deadline, aiming for a long October run. But no matter what their new relievers do, it won't matter much if the top of the lineup doesn't produce. Advertisement And slumps from Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso don't help. That's why Saturday's 12-6 win over the Giants wasn't just reassuring because it ended a four-game losing streak and put the Mets back atop the division, but also because Lindor, Alonso and leadoff hitter Brandon Nimmo combined to drive in 10 runs to go along with five runs scored and eight hits. That offense helped overcome a third straight clunker from Kodai Senga. 5 Mets first baseman Pete Alonso reacts as he rounds the bases on his 250th home run, a three-run shot in the first inning at Citi Field in Queens, New York on Aug. 2, 2025. JASON SZENES/ NY POST Advertisement 5 New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor reacts after his bunt scores a run for an RBI against the San Francisco Giants in the fourth inning at Citi Field in Queens, New York. JASON SZENES/ NY POST And the new-look bullpen looked good, with solid performances from newcomers Gregory Soto and Tyler Rogers. Coupled with the Phillies' loss to Detroit, the Mets moved back into first place in the NL East. Advertisement Alonso got things going with a first-inning three-run homer and, after they fell behind, the Mets got key RBI hits in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings from Nimmo and Lindor. If there was one concern, it was the fact that they once again failed to get any length out of their starter, as Senga lasted just four innings. 5 Francisco Lindor hits an RBI single to drive home Brett Bat in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Senga, gifted an early lead after Alonso's blast, struggled with his command and has allowed 11 earned runs over a dozen innings in his last three starts. Advertisement With the Mets failing to land a starter at the deadline, their flaws in the rotation are even more glaring. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND METS STATS They survived Saturday, with the Giants, undermanned due to injuries, as well as a selloff at the deadline, going with right-hander Kai-Wei Teng in his first major league start. The Mets got to him quickly, as Alonso went deep for a second straight game with a 428-foot, three-run homer to left-center with one out in the bottom of the first. 5 Mets Kodai Senga throws a pitch during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Nimmo got hit by a pitch to open the inning and Lindor walked before Juan Soto struck out. But Alonso followed with his 24th homer of the season and 250th of his career, putting him just two behind Darryl Strawberry for the most in franchise history. Senga loaded the bases with no one out in the second. Advertisement He recovered to get Grant McCray to hit into a double play that scored a run before Heliot Ramos' lineout to center ended the inning with the Mets still up by a pair of runs. 5 Brandon Nimmo hits an RBI single in the 7th inning against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST But Senga walked Matt Chapman with two outs in the third and then allowed a two-run homer to ex-Met Dominic Smith to tie the game at 3-3. Senga gave up the lead in the fourth, with Jung Hoo Lee opening with a double and scoring on McCray's RBI single. Advertisement Nimmo got the Mets even in the fourth with a one-out bouncer up the middle off lefty Matt Gage that drove in Mullins and got Brett Baty to third. Lindor followed with a bunt single that scored Baty to put the Mets up before Soto rocketed an inning-ending double play. The Mets padded their lead in the sixth when Nimmo and Lindor delivered back-to-back RBI singles. Advertisement And they put the game away with a four-run seventh, capped by Lindor's two-run double.
