Football

Alonso relieved with win for tired Leverkusen over Milan

Bayer Leverkusen's Nigerian forward Victor Boniface (L) celebrates scoring the opening goal with his teammates during their UEFA Champions League match against AC Milan in Leverkusen on October 1, 2024. Photo: AFP

Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso praised his side for fighting fatigue to take all three points after they dominated the opening hour against AC Milan and did enough to earn a 1-0 win in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Leverkusen have a maximum six points after a 4-0 win over Feyenoord in their opening game, but were unable to put Milan away after taking a deserved lead, which Alonso put down to tiredness after their 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich on Saturday.

"I think it's great news that German football is competitive. It's good news for us too to have achieved this result against Milan," Alonso told Sky Sports.

"Our first sixty minutes were good but in the end we suffered from fatigue after the game against Bayern Munich.

"We showed spirit and character, these three points are very good. In the Champions League you have to know how to suffer and fight, not just play well."

Leverkusen had plenty of chances in the opening half but failed to find the net and a struggling Milan held on to go in level at the break.

Instead of Leverkusen finishing the game off after finally taking the lead through Victor Boniface early in the second half, it was Milan who found an extra gear and threatened to snatch a draw on more than one occasion.

"We struggled a lot to score but maybe after the goal we changed our approach too quickly. Maybe we lacked something on a physical level" Alonso said.

"We had the right respect and took them very seriously. The last 20 minutes were not quite as good, but the players gave everything to get the three points."

(Reporting by Trevor StynesEditing by Toby Davis)

Comments

Alonso relieved with win for tired Leverkusen over Milan

Bayer Leverkusen's Nigerian forward Victor Boniface (L) celebrates scoring the opening goal with his teammates during their UEFA Champions League match against AC Milan in Leverkusen on October 1, 2024. Photo: AFP

Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso praised his side for fighting fatigue to take all three points after they dominated the opening hour against AC Milan and did enough to earn a 1-0 win in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Leverkusen have a maximum six points after a 4-0 win over Feyenoord in their opening game, but were unable to put Milan away after taking a deserved lead, which Alonso put down to tiredness after their 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich on Saturday.

"I think it's great news that German football is competitive. It's good news for us too to have achieved this result against Milan," Alonso told Sky Sports.

"Our first sixty minutes were good but in the end we suffered from fatigue after the game against Bayern Munich.

"We showed spirit and character, these three points are very good. In the Champions League you have to know how to suffer and fight, not just play well."

Leverkusen had plenty of chances in the opening half but failed to find the net and a struggling Milan held on to go in level at the break.

Instead of Leverkusen finishing the game off after finally taking the lead through Victor Boniface early in the second half, it was Milan who found an extra gear and threatened to snatch a draw on more than one occasion.

"We struggled a lot to score but maybe after the goal we changed our approach too quickly. Maybe we lacked something on a physical level" Alonso said.

"We had the right respect and took them very seriously. The last 20 minutes were not quite as good, but the players gave everything to get the three points."

(Reporting by Trevor StynesEditing by Toby Davis)

Comments

বিগত সরকার সংবাদপত্রকে শত্রু হিসেবে দেখেছে: গণমাধ্যমে সংস্কার কমিশনে মতিউর রহমান

‘সংবাদপত্র প্রকাশ ও অনুমতি প্রদানের ব্যবস্থাপনায় ক্ষমতার অপপ্রয়োগ হয়েছে, যা ভবিষতে বন্ধ করার সুনির্দিষ্ট সুপারিশ করা প্রয়োজন।’

২ ঘণ্টা আগে