Bayer Leverkusen: Alonso's successor still with an open future

Leverkusen's sporting director evades question about a possible Alonso successor

Speculation about Xabi Alonso's successor as Bayer Leverkusen head coach continues to circulate

Following Bayer Leverkusen's 2-0 defeat against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday, speculation surrounding the future of head coach Xabi Alonso has intensified. Alonso, who took over the reins at the BayArena in October 2022, has struggled to turn the team's fortunes around, with Leverkusen currently languishing in 17th place in the Bundesliga standings.

After the match, Leverkusen's sporting director, Simon Rolfes, was asked about the possibility of Alonso being replaced, but he remained evasive in his response. "We are not dealing with that at the moment," Rolfes said. "We have a game on Wednesday against Hoffenheim, and that's our focus."

However, Rolfes did admit that the club is "not satisfied" with the team's current form. "We need to improve our results," he said. "We have a lot of quality in our squad, and we need to start showing it on the pitch."

Among the names that have been linked with the Leverkusen job are former Borussia Dortmund coach Marco Rose and ex-Bayer Leverkusen player Sami Hyypiä. However, Rolfes refused to be drawn on any specific candidates.

"We are not going to speculate about names," he said. "We will take our time and make a decision that is in the best interests of the club."

Leverkusen's next match is against Hoffenheim on Wednesday, March 8th. The game will be crucial for Alonso's future, as a defeat could leave the club in a precarious position in the Bundesliga standings.