Bayer 04 Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso remains tight-lipped about his preferred choice of striker as the team gears up for their Bundesliga opener against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Super Eagles forward Victor Boniface was a key player for Die Werkself last season, netting 21 goals and delivering 10 assists in 34 appearances. On the other hand, Czech striker Patrik Schick contributed 13 goals and three assists in 33 games, proving his value to the DFL Super Cup winners.
Both Boniface and Schick found the back of the net during Leverkusen’s DFL Super Cup victory over Stuttgart, a match that saw the team triumph in a penalty shootout despite being reduced to ten men after Martin Terrier's first-half red card.
As Leverkusen prepares to kick off their Bundesliga campaign tonight, Alonso has yet to finalize his starting lineup, leaving the decision of who will lead the attack and who will stand between the posts still up in the air.
“The decision of who starts remains open, but you will see tonight. It is also not decided who starts for the whole season, but we will see. Both are ready. Between Lukas (Hradecky) or Matej (Kovar)? It is the same. We’ll see what happens,” Alonso stated during his pre-match press conference.
The former Real Madrid star also cautioned his team against complacency, reminding them that last season’s achievements count for nothing as they embark on the new campaign.
“Like all teams, we are starting with no points. Last season’s success does not give us anything for the new campaign. We have to start picking up points again and work hard to achieve that.”
Leverkusen has bolstered their squad this summer with the signings of Martin Terrier, Aleix Garcia, and Jeanuel Belocian, and Alonso is optimistic that their opening game against Gladbach will be a thrilling encounter, unlike the goalless draw from their last meeting.
“It’s special to play in an opening match. The stadium in Mönchengladbach is big, there will be a special atmosphere – also thanks to our many fans at the game. We’ve brought in players whose quality and mentality are top, and they have embraced our style of play. I’m happy with the squad and the players. Gladbach, in attack, have signed new players like Tim Kleindienst. It will be a different game from the one at the start of the year. We are not competing with Bayern. Our clear target is the top four. The first thing for us is to make a good start to the season, and I feel good about that,” Alonso concluded.
In other news, the German Football Association (DFB) fined Boniface on Wednesday following an investigation into an incident during the DFL Super Cup. The Nigerian striker was accused of making an obscene gesture towards an opponent, resulting in a fine of approximately 44 million naira.
