Xabi Alonso remained tight-lipped about his managerial future amid growing speculation linking him with the Real Madrid job. The Bayern Leverkusen boss refused to address the rumours during Friday’s press conference.
Spanish outlets have positioned Alonso as a leading candidate to replace Carlo Ancelotti. This replacement would come should the Italian depart this summer. Despite having a year left on his contract, Ancelotti has come under pressure following a disappointing campaign in LaLiga.
Alonso, who previously played under Ancelotti during a five-year spell at Real Madrid. He won the Champions League with the club before moving to Bayern Munich. Yet, when asked about a potential return to Madrid in a new role, he offered no new insight.
“My future? Nothing new to say, the answer remains the same. We have to wait,” Alonso told reporters ahead of Leverkusen’s trip to Freiburg.
“Communication with the club is still good. There is clarity between everyone.”
The 42-year-old’s stock has risen dramatically since guiding Leverkusen to their first-ever Bundesliga title last season, going unbeaten and adding the German Cup while reaching the Europa League final.
While this season hasn’t matched that historic high, with Bayern Munich closing in on reclaiming the league crown, Alonso remains focused on ending the campaign strongly.
“It’s still the second-best season in the club’s history and we want to continue pursuing this goal,” he said.
Leverkusen face a tough test on Sunday against Freiburg, who currently sit fourth and are pushing for a Champions League place.
“This battle is very exciting to watch at the moment. In the remaining three games, we only have Freiburg, (Borussia) Dortmund and Mainz as opponents who are fighting for European spots. They will be intense games for us again.”
However, Leverkusen may have to do without striker Victor Boniface, who has contributed 11 goals in all competitions this season.
“He felt something in his thigh muscles yesterday and didn’t train today,” Alonso revealed. “We’ll see if he’s available for Sunday.”
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