Victor Boniface’s coach Xabi Alonso remains hopeful that Bayer Leverkusen will turn things around in the second leg after facing humiliation against rivals Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Victor Boniface’s Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso remains optimistic about his team’s chances of turning things around in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie against Bayern Munich.
Despite suffering a humiliating 3-0 defeat at the Allianz Arena, Alonso believes that there is still everything to play for in the second leg.
 "It's not over: Coach who snubbed Boniface against Bayern refuses to panic after demolition 1")
English striker Harry Kane was imperious as Bayern Munich dismantled Victor Boniface’s Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash.
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 "It's not over: Coach who snubbed Boniface against Bayern refuses to panic after demolition 2")
The value of Nigerian footballers around the world continues to increase on a weekly basis and Victor Osimhen remains top of the pile.
Speaking to UEFA.com, Alonso reflected on the match, acknowledging that Leverkusen’s mistakes were their downfall:
“A lot went against us today, but that was our own fault. We didn’t have good control and made big mistakes. That’s obviously very annoying.”
Xabi Alonso during the game against Bayern Munich.
However, he emphasised that the tie is far from over, drawing inspiration from past football upsets:
“It will take time to process this game. But it’s not over until it’s over. The craziest things have already happened in football and we’ll fight to make something happen next week.”
Xabi Alonso benched Victor Boniface for 90 minutes. | Imago
Alonso’s optimism is rooted in his own experience with Liverpool’s famous “Miracle of Istanbul” in 2005, where his team came back from a 3-0 halftime deficit to win the Champions League final against AC Milan.
Leverkusen will need a similar miracle to advance, requiring a 3-0 win in the return leg at home to stay in the competition.
Harry Kane was named man of the match in the game.
Despite the significant challenge ahead, Alonso’s determination to fight back is clear.
He noted that his team must learn from their mistakes and approach the second leg with a renewed mindset:
Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen’s coach believes his club can turn things around. || Imago
“We have to fight back. We will learn from this and believe in our return leg. We don’t give up so easily. Three goals? You never know. One goal can change anything.”
With Nigerian striker Boniface watching from the bench, Leverkusen will look to regroup and mount a comeback in the second leg, hoping to replicate their past successes against Bayern and keep their Champions League dreams alive.
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