Kane nets historic hat-trick as Bayern put eight past Mainz

Harry Kane netted an historic hat-trick as Bayern Munich thrashed Mainz 8-1 at home to move seven points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

The England captain became the first player to net four hat-tricks in a debut Bundesliga season, while his 30 league goals so far this term equalled Uwe Seeler’s record for most goals in a debut Bundesliga campaign.

The ex-Tottenham striker also became the first player to score at least twice in eight different games in his first Bundesliga season.

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Highlights of Bayern Munich’s 8-1 win over Mainz as Harry Kane made it 30 Bundesliga goals for the season

Kane’s hat-trick saw him tap in to give Bayern a 13th-minute lead before finishing a low shot just before half-time to restore Bayern’s two-goal advantage.

The 30-year-old, who provided a wonderful assist for Jamal Musiala to fire in Bayern’s fifth, headed in his third in the 70th minute to score the home side’s seventh.

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Serge Gnabry marked his return to Bayern Munich with a sensational flicked finish

Leon Goretzka’s double, Serge Gnabry’s stunning backheeled aerial finish and Thomas Muller’s goal helped Bayern hammer relegation-threatened Mainz to follow up Tuesday’s win over Lazio, which booked Bayern’s spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.

But Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen have the chance to restore their 10-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga when they host Wolfsburg on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.

Kane eyeing up Bundesliga season record

Kane’s hat-trick made it five goals in the space of five days after he scored twice in midweek to help Bayern overturn a first-leg deficit against Lazio to advance to the last eight of the Champions League.

Kane took just 13 minutes to open the scoring on Saturday afternoon tapping in from close range from Musiala’s cross.

England’s record goal scorer then saw a header hit the post seven minutes later, which was rebounded in by Goretzka.

Mainz briefly cut the deficit through Nadiem Amiri’s thunderous strike before Kane restored Bayern’s two-goal lead in first-half stoppage time with a wonderful first touch to bring Goretzka’s ball over the top down to then finish low past Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner.

Thomas Muller made it 4-1 just two minutes into the second half as Kane then produced an incredible assist for Musiala to score Bayern’s fifth as he picked out the German with a fine cross-field pass which the 21-year-old buried into the bottom corner.

Substitute Gnabry scored the pick of Bayern’s goals as he pulled off an audacious mid-air backheel flick through the goalkeeper’s legs to make it 6-1.

Kane eventually completed his hat-trick in the 70th minute as he nodded in a rebound after Eric Dier’s header was saved at a corner.

The hat-trick goal, which needed a VAR review to overturn the linesman’s offside decision, means Kane now needs 11 goals to equal the Bundesliga season record of 41 goals by ex-Bayern forward Robert Lewandowski in 2020/21.

Goretzka scored Bayern’s eighth in stoppage time to give Thomas Tuchel’s hope of catching leaders Leverkusen.

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Kane double helps Bayern into CL quarter-finals

Bayern Munich secured a comprehensive 3-0 (Agg: 3-1) victory over Lazio at the Allianz Arena to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg and reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

Ciro Immobile’s penalty gave Lazio a 1-0 win in the first leg of their last-16 tie in Rome last month, but first-half goals from Harry Kane and Thomas Muller turned the tie on its head before the break in Munich on Tuesday as Lazio rued a big missed opportunity with the score still 0-0.

The game and the tie was made safe when Kane added Bayern’s third and his second of the night for his sixth goal in eight Champions League games this season. The England captain now has 33 goals in 33 games in all competitions for the German side.

The result sees Bayern book their place in the quarter-final draw, which take place on Friday March 15. It keeps alive Bayern and Kane’s hopes of ending the season with silverware, especially with their struggles in the Bundesliga where they trail league leaders Bayer Leverkusen by 10 points.

When is the Champions League quarter-final draw?

The 2023/24 Champions League quarter-final and semi-final draw both take place on the same day.

The draw for the last eight will take place on Friday 15 March, after all of the last 16 ties are finalised. Both the quarter-final and semi-final draws will take place at House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland from 11am UK time.

At this stage of the competition, there are no seeded teams and it is an open draw, meaning there is no country protection. Clubs can face opposition from the same national association and teams they previously came up against in the group stage.

How Kane’s goal helped Bayern progress

Bayern came into the game facing the prospect of just their second exit in 12 appearances at this stage of the Champions League.

You could sense the tension in the Bayern players in the early exchanges with Lazio looking a threat on the break. Ciro Immobile’s header was their best chance but he failed to hit the target with the goal at his mercy.

The glaring miss was punished just a minute later as Kane scored his first knockout stage goal in the competition in five years with a diving header to convert Raphael Guerreiro’s miskick.

Jamal Musiala almost added another seconds later but his sliding shot just missed the target before Thomas Muller headed in a Matthijs de Ligt volley on the stroke of half-time to complete the turnaround for Bayern.

After the break, Kane killed off any hopes of a Lazio comeback in the 68th minute, tapping in the rebound after Leroy Sane’s shot was palmed into his path.

Bayern went in search of a fourth and Muller almost scored a second himself but Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel tipped his shot onto the post.

It was a comfortable ending to the game as the Bundesliga champions, who have now made it to at least the final eight in 12 of the last 13 campaigns, put some indifferent form behind them.

Kane’s incredible numbers

Harry Kane celebrates scoring against Lazio
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Harry Kane celebrates scoring against Lazio

Kane has now scored 27 Champions League goals, with Wayne Rooney (30) the only Englishman to score more in the competition.

He also has more combined goals and assists in this season’s competition than any other player with nine (six goals, three assists).

Kane has scored 33 goals in 33 games for Bayern in all competitions this season, beating his tally from 49 games with Tottenham Hotspur last season (32).

Meanwhile, no player in Europe’s big five leagues has been involved in more goals than Kane this season, who has 41 (33 goals, 8 assists).

Opta stats: Bayern overturn deficit to progress

Bayern Munich have progressed from four Champions League knockout stage ties having lost the first leg, with only Barcelona, Chelsea, Juventus and Real Madrid (all 5) doing so more.

Lazio have won just two of their last 20 UEFA Champions League away games (D5 L13), keeping just one clean sheet in that run. The Italian side failed to record a single shot on target in this match, the first time on record (since 2003-04) they’ve failed to do so in a UEFA Champions League match.

No Bayern player created more chances (4) or had more shots (5) against Lazio tonight than Jamal Musiala. At 21 years and 8 days, he’s the youngest player to have 5+ shots and create 4+ chances in a UEFA Champions League knockout stage match since Lionel Messi against Celtic in February 2008 (20y 241d).

What’s next for Bayern Munich and Lazio?

Bayern Munich face Mainz in the Bundesliga on Saturday (kick-off 2:30pm) as they try to gain ground on title rivals Bayer Leverkusen Watch highlights for free on Sky Sports’ digital platforms.

Lazio, meanwhile, play Udinese in Serie A on Monday; kick-off 7.45pm.

Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight showdown with Francis Ngannou takes place on Friday March 8, live on Sky Sports Box Office with the main event expected around 11pm. Book Joshua vs Ngannou now!

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Bayern Munich open discussions with Liverpool target Alonso

Bayern Munich have opened discussions with Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso about replacing Thomas Tuchel in the summer, according to Sky in Germany.

Alonso, who is also of interest to Liverpool, is Bayern’s preferred candidate and they are understood to have received a positive signal from the Spaniard during initial talks.

The 42-year-old would cost Bayern between £12.8m-£21.3m (€15m-€25m) this summer as a fixed exit clause in his contract of around £12.8m (€15m) does not kick in until the summer of 2025.

Sky in Germany’s Florian Plettenberg reports that Bayern are cautiously optimistic that Alonso will move to Munich. He told Sky’s Transfer Update: “They have the information that, if he changes, he will go to Bayern and not Liverpool. Alonso says that Liverpool and the [Jurgen] Klopp legacy are a difficult number. You could lose more than win.”

Will Xabi Alonso (left) replace Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich?
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Will Xabi Alonso (left) replace Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich?

Bayern confirmed in February they will part ways with Tuchel at the end of the season. His side currently trail Leverkusen by 10 points in the Bundesliga and lost their Champions League last-16 first leg 1-0 at Lazio.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are searching for Klopp’s successor so which club provides a more compelling and stable project?

Sky Sports News’ Melissa Reddy analyses the situation after speaking to multiple sources in England and Germany.

The case for Bayern Munich…

Winning is easier at Bayern, but losing leaves you in a critical condition – Julian Nagelsmann had overseen defeat in just three games across all competitions last season before he was sacked.

Tuchel, exiting in May, has been fortunate to last this long in contrast. Borussia Dortmund lost the title last season more than Bayern won it.

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Highlights of the draw between SC Freiburg and Bayern Munich as Lucas Holer snatches a late equaliser

The German giants are so conditioned to success and regularly extracting the best gifts from their domestic threats, it prompts periods of complacency, but also a divorce from reality. Bayern believe they should be lifting the European Cup. Failure in that competition is fatal for managers.

Since Klopp took charge at Liverpool, seven different faces have been at Bayern’s helm. There has been chaos at board level, perfectly summarised by previous bosses Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic sacking Nagelsmann in March 2023, only to be relieved of their own duties two months later.

Alonso will be tuned in to how often the manager’s decisions are berated at Bayern. Tuchel recently complained that the media draw battle lines by favouring members of the squad and bristling when they do not start.

Tuchel has accepted responsibility for poor performances and results, but reminded he is not the only problem at Bayern; a broadside at both the squad and the hierarchy.

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Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso reflects on his story so far as he discusses following in his father’s footsteps, coaching idols and what drew him to the Bundesliga side

It has been evident over recent years that Bayern insist on a coach with a clear philosophy without ensuring the team meshes with that identity.

The spine needs to be rebuilt and the average age of the group reduced. Perhaps the sales pitch is Alonso can construct a side in his image – but does recent history support that?

The case for Liverpool…

The wholesome scenes at Wembley, where the club’s academy kids showed the bravery to burst Chelsea’s billion-pound bubble in the Carabao Cup final, will have emphasised what great health Jurgen Klopp leaves Liverpool in.

The first-team squad, in the mix for three more trophies this season despite a ridiculously long injury list, requires supplements and enhancements rather than any serious surgery.

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Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp hailed potential successor Xabi Alonso as a ‘standout’ manager after his incredible season so far with Bayer Leverkusen

The direction of travel is clear at Anfield. Alonso wouldn’t just be inheriting one of the strongest squads in Europe, but a special bond between the players and supporters that was neatly showcased in the galvanising rendition of Allez, Allez, Allez during extra-time on Sunday.

The house, harmony, and hope that Klopp has built is formidable and will endure under the right circumstances. Alonso need not fear mimicking the German as Liverpool do not want a JK 2.0 or a lite version of him.

That does not alter the fact that it is daunting to succeed a man, who more than winning the lot, made people feel and believe through unforgettable shared experiences.

Questions over whether a Liverpool team geared to a more direct style of play is suited to Alonso’s possession-based preference ignores the evidence of his ability to adapt and underestimates the bandwidth of players to absorb new ideas.

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Xabi Alonso insists his focus is solely on winning games with Bayer Leverkusen, amid speculation he could join either Bayern Munich or Liverpool in the summer

His due diligence would also point to patience, empowerment, and non-interference from owners Fenway Sports Group.

The one sticking issue is Liverpool are concurrently searching for a sporting director, so Alonso doesn’t have clarity on who will be leading on a recruitment and football operations front.

Alonso knows the scale of competitors will be much higher at Liverpool, who cannot offer state-powered tools. He will need to help find the edges, to work within the club’s means.

It will be harder to win, but for someone who outperformed his resources at both Real Sociedad B and Bayer, perhaps he will feel it is more rewarding.

Stay at Leverkusen?

Alonso is scorching the earth with his beautifully efficient Bayer side – they are the only unbeaten team across all competitions in Europe’s major leagues – so it is easy to forget how early into this project he still is.

The Basque was appointed in October 2022 and there must be slight annoyance on his part at the timing of these mega-big gigs. Next summer offers more breathing room and development space than this one.

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Highlights from the Bundesliga as Xabi Alonso’s side go ten points clear at the top of the table after 2-0 win away to Cologne

Alonso has previously held his nerve. Eberl, now Bayern’s director of sport, had tried to lure the young manager from Real Sociedad B to Borussia Monchengladbach in the early months of 2021.

Should Alonso serve up the watershed season that is on the cards for Bayer, it’s difficult to envisage how he could improve or build on it.

The apex predators, including Bayern, will be circling to loot talent. The expectation, the pressure, the new normal will be different.

Given what he’s achieved in such a short amount of time, it feels unwise to bet against Alonso. It would be some statement to shun Liverpool and Bayern to continue on his current path.

It is testament to his work that Alonso already finds himself spoilt with such choices.

Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight showdown with Francis Ngannou takes place on Friday March 8, live on Sky Sports Box Office with the main event expected around 11pm. Book Joshua vs Ngannou now!

Bayern drop points again with draw at Freiburg

The Bundesliga title is slipping away from Bayern Munich after Thomas Tuchel’s side dropped more points with a 2-2 draw away at SC Freiburg.

Freiburg forward Lucas Holer scored an 87th-minute goal to snatch a point for the hosts and further dent Bayern’s title hopes.

The draw leaves Bayern seven points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who can open up the gap at the top of the table to 10 points with a win over Cologne on Sunday in a game which is live on Sky Sports (kick-off 2.30pm).


Live Bundesliga


Sunday 3rd March 2:30pm

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Freiburg started and ended the game well. They took the lead in the 12th minute through captain Christian Gunter’s powerful strike.

However, Bayern hit back through a rocket of a shot from Mathys Tel (35) before Jamal Musiala’s stunning solo effort (75) looked to be sending the visitors to a crucial victory.

However, Holer’s late show stunned Tuchel’s side, and their Bundesliga title hopes now hang by a thread ahead of the crunch Champions League round-of-16 second-leg tie against Lazio in midweek.

More to follow…

The goals…

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Christian Gunter fires home the first goal of the night against Bayern Munich following a superb double save from Manuel Neuer

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Mathys Tel superbly strikes in an equaliser for Bayern Munich

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Jamal Musiala showcases his brilliant footwork and fires in Bayern Munich’s second

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Lucas Holer drives in amazing volley to level it against Bayern Munich and dampen their title hopes

What’s next?

Freiburg host West Ham United in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 clash on Thursday (8pm), while Bayern entertain Lazio looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday (8pm).

Is it advantage Liverpool over Bayern Munich for Alonso?

If there is a defining characteristic of Xabi Alonso, the metronomic player and now assured manager, it is that he is meticulous.

That descriptor was used by his former tactician Jose Mourinho, it is the same framing Granit Xhaka has plumped for, as well as the analysis of Bayer Leverkusen chief executive Fernando Carro.

Alonso doesn’t get swept up, seduced, overcome by pressure, or knocked off his stride. The clubs that most covet him in their dugout know this intimately; Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have all benefitted from that trait when he was scanning and shepherding play in the centre of the pitch.

Alonso’s clarity of mind has been evident in make-or-break moments. It would explain why Rafael Benitez selected him as the designated penalty taker for the 2005 Champions League final – despite the midfielder never having the experience of a professional spot kick.

It speaks to Pep Guardiola referring to him as a player with a coach’s brain and Carlo Ancelotti circling his “very high intelligence”.

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Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp hailed potential successor Alonso as a ‘standout’ manager after his incredible season so far with Bayer Leverkusen

So when it comes to the hottest managerial prospect in football making a decision over his future, there is one certainty: He will be surgical.

Real Madrid will knock in the near future, but Liverpool and Bayern are already jostling at Alonso’s door. Bayer are confident they can persuade the man casually making Bundesliga history to remain at the BayArena.

But if he does twist, which club provides a more compelling and stable project?

Sky Sports News’ Melissa Reddy analyses the situation after speaking to multiple sources in England and Germany.

The case for Liverpool…

The wholesome scenes at Wembley, where the club’s academy kids showed the bravery to burst Chelsea’s billion-pound bubble in the Carabao Cup final, will have emphasised what great health Jurgen Klopp leaves Liverpool in.

The first-team squad, in the mix for three more trophies this season despite a ridiculously long injury list, requires supplements and enhancements rather than any serious surgery.

The key players over 30 – Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Endo – have been stellar.

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Jamie Carragher analyses Bayer Leverkusen’s style of football under Alonso, and predicts how Liverpool would play if he was to succeed Klopp at Anfield

The conveyor belt of young talent is stacked, and the pathway is clear as evidenced throughout the Klopp era.

With time for dialogue and the commitment of the trio, there is no panic over the contract situations of Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Salah.

The Saudi Pro League will attempt to prise the Egyptian again but all indications are that he wants to continue competing at the highest level.

The direction of travel is clear at Anfield. Alonso wouldn’t just be inheriting one of the strongest squads in Europe, but a special bond between the players and supporters that was neatly showcased in the galvanising rendition of Allez, Allez, Allez during extra-time on Sunday.

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Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso reflects on his story so far as he discusses following in his father’s footsteps, coaching idols and what drew him to the Bundesliga side.

The house, harmony, and hope that Klopp has built is formidable and will endure under the right circumstances.

Alonso need not fear mimicking the German as Liverpool do not want a JK 2.0 or a lite version of him.

That does not alter the fact that it is daunting to succeed a man, who more than winning the lot, made people feel and believe through unforgettable shared experiences.

Alonso isn’t someone who lacks surety. That certainly came across during an interview in The Guardian two months ago, when he was asked about his future – specifically the speculation linking him with Real Madrid.

“It depends on if you want to be pushed to take other people’s decisions or if you want to make your own decisions,” Alonso said. “And so far I’ve been clear. I will take my own decisions when I feel it is the right moment for whatever.”

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Jamie Redknapp believes Bayer Leverkusen’s Alonso should replace Klopp as Liverpool manager at the end of this season

What will help him choose? “A little bit of intuition, a connection with the right moment in the right place.”

Questions over whether a Liverpool team geared to a more direct style of play is suited to Alonso’s possession-based preference ignores the evidence of his ability to adapt and underestimates the bandwidth of players to absorb new ideas.

His due diligence would also point to patience, empowerment, and non-interference from owners Fenway Sports Group.

The one sticking issue is Liverpool are concurrently searching for a sporting director, so Alonso doesn’t have clarity on who will be leading on a recruitment and football operations front.

Liverpool are determined to have an aligned triumvirate of decision-makers. FSG president Mike Gordon wants a solid, honest relationship between himself, the new manager and sporting director as was the case with Klopp and Michael Edwards.

Alonso knows the scale of competitors will be much higher at Liverpool, who cannot offer state-powered tools. He will need to help find the edges, to work within the club’s means.

Xabi Alonso
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What does the future hold for Alonso?

It will be harder to win, but for someone who outperformed his resources at both Real Sociedad B and Bayer, perhaps he will feel it is more rewarding.

The Premier League is unforgiving, with both Klopp and Guardiola repeatedly admitting it requires more of your time, energy and intensity than managing elsewhere.

Taking on the all-powerful Manchester City every season is no fun, which he can ask his childhood neighbour and close friend, Mikel Arteta.

Is Alonso equipped for that yet?

The case for Bayern Munich:

Winning is easier at Bayern, but losing leaves you in a critical condition – Julian Nagelsmann had overseen defeat in just three games across all competitions last season before he was sacked.

Thomas Tuchel, exiting in May, has been fortunate to last this long in contrast. Borussia Dortmund lost the title last season more than Bayern won it.

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Alonso insists his focus is solely on winning games with Bayer Leverkusen, amid speculation he could join either Bayern Munich or Liverpool in the summer

The German giants are so conditioned to success and regularly extracting the best gifts from their domestic threats, it prompts periods of complacency, but also a divorce from reality.

Bayern believe they should be lifting the European Cup. Failure in that competition is fatal for managers.

Since Klopp took charge at Liverpool, seven different faces have been at Bayern’s helm. There has been chaos at board level, perfectly summarised by previous bosses Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic sacking Nagelsmann in March 2023, only to be relieved of their own duties two months later.

The decision to fire Germany’s manager for the Euros was not universally popular within the club, which points at frayed structures.

Bayern’s honorary president Uli Hoeness publicly called it “unwise” and Herbert Hainer, chairman of the supervisory board, was annoyed at the short notice he was given.

Can the new core axis of Christoph Freund, Max Eberl and chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen swerve such division? Club legend Lothar Matthäus has already been very critical.

Alonso will be tuned in to how often the manager’s decisions are berated at Bayern. Tuchel recently complained that the media draw battle lines by favouring members of the squad and bristling when they do not start.

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Melissa Reddy discusses the favourite candidates to replace Klopp at the end of the season and why Liverpool will be interested in them

“You are the very first ones to make a complete difference and decide who sits on the bench or is substituted,” he said.

“Then there will be a week’s special broadcast about it. The same incident with another player and it is not discussed at all.”

Tuchel has accepted responsibility for poor performances and results, but reminded he is not the only problem at Bayern; a broadside at both the squad and the hierarchy.

It has been evident over recent years that Bayern insist on a coach with a clear philosophy without ensuring the team meshes with that identity.

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Kaveh Solhekol looks at the realistic options for Bayer Leverkusen manager Alonso as he becomes the front-runner for both the Liverpool and Bayern Munich jobs

The spine needs to be rebuilt and the average age of the group reduced. Perhaps the sales pitch is Alonso can construct a side in his image – but does recent history support that?

Real Madrid have reportedly reached a verbal agreement with Alphonso Davies, Joshua Kimmich has been off-colour, leaving the leading lights as Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala.

Bayern will always be Bayern though and domestic dominance is sure to follow again soon. The turnover of coaches illustrates that hasn’t been enough though.

Would Alonso be afforded the time and space to properly work and meet continental expectations?

Stay at Leverkusen?

Alonso is scorching the earth with his beautifully efficient Bayer side – they are the only unbeaten team across all competitions in Europe’s major leagues – so it is easy to forget how early into this project he still is.

The Basque was appointed in October 2022 and there must be slight annoyance on his part at the timing of these mega-big gigs. Next summer offers more breathing room and development space than this one.

Alonso has previously held his nerve. Eberl, now Bayern’s director of sport, had tried to lure the young manager from Real Sociedad B to Borussia Monchengladbach in the early months of 2021.

“He told me, ‘I’m sorry but no thanks, it’s too early. I need more experience,'” Eberl reminded at a media briefing on Tuesday. “It was very impressive.”

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Highlights from the Bundesliga match between Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen and FSV Mainz 05

Should Alonso serve up the watershed season that is on the cards for Bayer, it’s difficult to envisage how he could improve or build on it.

The apex predators, including Bayern, will be circling to loot talent. The expectation, the pressure, the new normal will be different.

Given what he’s achieved in such a short amount of time, it feels unwise to bet against Alonso. It would be some statement to shun Liverpool and Bayern to continue on his current path.

It is testament to his work that Alonso already finds himself spoilt with such choices.