Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 Schalke: Xabi Alonso’s managerial bow begins with an empathic victory
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Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 Schalke: Xabi Alonso’s managerial arc begins with an empathetic win – as Jeremie Frimpong’s brace inspires the hosts to take only their second Bundesliga win of the season
- Bayer Leverkusen to 14th in Bundesliga ranking by victory over Schalke
- The match marked the first time as manager of former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso
- Jeremie Frimpong impressed the new manager by scoring a number of goals
- Schalke has now dropped to the relegation play-off spot on the table
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Xabi Alonso sent Bayer Leverkusen to 4-0 over Schalke in his top-flight coaching debut on Saturday, the team just taking its second league win of the season.
“I am very satisfied. We wanted to play a good game and I think the players enjoyed it,” said Alonso, who only had two days to work with the team. “I’m happy, but it’s only one game, we have to keep going. We have to work hard every day.”
Moussa Diaby scored one goal and two more to push Leverkusen out of the relegation zone with his first league win since late August.
Xabi Alonso broke the record for the biggest win by a coach in their debut game in the Bundesliga
Alonso – a former midfield maestro who won top honors with Spain, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich – was appointed on Wednesday when Leverkusen sacked Gerardo Seoane, who led a 2-0 defeat to Porto in the Champions League the night before. .
Presented on Thursday, Alonso said: “We are taking a step forward here today, to make an impact, work and show that we can do better.”
The Leverkusen players clearly wanted to impress their new coach on Saturday. And he was very involved on the sidelines, using an early game stoppage to hastily instruct individual players. Sky TV counted him only 114 seconds for the entire match.
Moussa Diaby of Bayer Leverkusen scored one and set up two more against Schalke
Jeremie Frimpong provided a shot for Bayer Leverkusen with goals in each half
Alonso had to wait until the 38th minute of a hard-fought first half before Diaby broke the deadlock by flying from afar. It was the French forward’s first league goal of the season.
Alonso briefly celebrated with his bench before turning to instruct midfielder Charles Aranguiz.
Less than three minutes later, Callum Hudson-Odoi produced a fine solo run, dodging two Schalke midfielders before feeding Diaby, who sent Jeremie Frimpong in. The Dutch right-back shot into the far post from a close angle.
Frimpong scored his second goal in the 53rd, again set up by Diaby, who waited for the right moment before making his pass. The goal stood despite Robert Andrich helping the ball with his arm into the build-up.
The score was wrapped up in the 88th minute by the previously out of favor Paulinho
The defeat to Schalke puts them now 16th and in the league’s relegation spot
Alonso brought in the previously disgraced Paulinho in the 88th and the Brazilian forward took the win two minutes later with the fourth goal.
“For me the most important thing was that the players felt what we want to do, how we want to play. Certainly it is still early, but we are happy today and now we will judge and analyze for the next game,” Alonso said in a medley from German and English.
Leverkusen will play against Porto on Wednesday for their return match.