Xabi Alonso: The makings of rapid success

A Bundesliga title, a German Cup final, a decent shot at a European trophy and, so far, not losing a single game: Xabi Alonso's first full season as a first team coach could not have gone much better.

A win for his Bayer Leverkusen side on Sunday, or a loss for Bayern Munich and Stuttgart the day before, will seal a first ever "Meisterschale" for the "Werkself" and underline Alonso's credentials as the best young coach in the world.

The turnaround since he took over in October 2022, with Leverkusen in the relegation zone, has been dramatic. But the origins of the 42-year-old's coaching success date back much further.

Basque born, German influenced

Alonso's playing career, like his coaching career, started at Real Sociedad, a club based in the Basque region of Spain where Alonso spent most of his formative years. His father, Periko Alonso, won La Liga twice with Sociedad and once with Barcelona, where Xabi spent a few of his early years, while his brother, Mikel, also played more than 100 games for Sociedad.

Xabi Alonso's quiet intelligence, exceptional passing range and astute tactical brain soon caught the attention of Liverpool, then Real Madrid and finally Bayern. "I'm Basque, total Basque, but with big German influence now," he told The Guardian earlier this season.

Fast learner

Though he spent about half of his career outside Spain, it was two Spanish coaches who would arguably have the greatest influence on Alonso. Both Rafael Benitez, at Liverpool, and Pep Guardiola, at Bayern Munich, saw a coach in the player.

"He was clever and he analyzed. When you explain things to some players, you have to repeat them. Xabi learned quickly," Benitez, under whom Alonso won the first of his two Champions League titles in 2005, told The Times.

For Guardiola, Alonso's approach marked him out. "He understands the game and has curiosity to understand the game. He knew during the weeks what we would have to do to win the next games," he said.

Possession and pragmatism

That analytical brain has served Alonso the coach just as well as it did Alonso the midfielder, and informs his tactical preferences.

The emphasis he puts on possession is clear: Leverkusen have attempted and completed the most passes in the Bundesliga this season. But those passes always have a purpose, with Leverkusen tending to build up rapidly through the middle. His wingbacks are kept high, wide and involved in transitions, particularly on the counterattack.

Equally though, Alonso has shown he is capable of adapting his style, most notably in the critical 3-0 win over Bayern in February. He dropped right wingback Jeremie Frimpong, regular attacking midfielder Jonas Hofmann and Czech striker Patrik Schick to make his team more solid, but with plenty of pace on the break. The surprise changes completely nullified Bayern, who mustered just one shot on target despite dominating possession.

"I think we have controlled well, to find the right moment when to press, when to wait, who could have the ball, who could not have the ball, and defensively for me it was an outstanding performance," Alonso explained after the match, which cemented Leverkusen's status as genuine title contenders.

Team builder

Frimpong came off the bench to score the third in that game, perhaps underlining the trust between players and coach even when tough calls are made. While not the most demonstrative of leaders, Alonso blends his trademark calmness with clear passion and drive on the touchline, and he is comfortable and personable in his dealings with the media, whether in English, Spanish or German.

"All the players have trusted him in how we play," Frimpong told TNT Sports earlier this week. "You can see it on the pitch, how we're always happy and like a team. The coaches he's played under, [Carlo] Ancelotti and Pep [Guardiola], he's had all this experience. When you have that, of course you'll be good at what you do. He's the gaffer, but he's amazing. Such a nice guy."

It is Ancelotti, who coached Alonso to his second Champions League win at Real Madrid and a Bundesliga title with Bayern, who proved the role model. "In terms of man management, Carlo Ancelotti is a master," he said. "When you talk about how you want to convince the players, or how to get the players to have a good relationship with you, Ancelotti is the master of them all."

Staying put

It looked, for a time, as if Alonso would take over at Bayern at the end of the season, or perhaps attempt to fill Jürgen Klopp's substantial shoes at Anfield. But Alonso has now confirmed he will stay with Leverkusen.

"There were many reasons and so many players," he said. "The season has been great so far, and we want to keep having this thing together. I feel part of it."

He may be just one part of the Leverkusen success story, but it's hard to believe he isn't the most important part.

Edited by: Jonathan Crane