Lukas Hradecky’s Leverkusen is having a miserable start to the season – one situation proves how winded the players are

The German Bundesliga has had an exceptionally smooth early season. One of the biggest disappointments is Bayer Leverkusen, who are plowing deep under the leadership of their captain Lukas Hradecky.

In the German Bundesliga, the traditional club Bayer Leverkusen has been a toddler since the first match of the season. The team that conceded the third most goals has risen to 15th place in the series, just one point above Stuttgart, which holds the last relegation spot.

The Champions League has been equally dark for the team. There are huge stakes in this Tuesday night’s match against Atletico Madrid. Leverkusen is last in the group with a point behind Atletico, and three points behind second-placed Porto. In addition to the match against Atletico, there is still a fight against Club Brugge, who secured the next place in the group.

The players’ body language, commitment and attitude on the field have been more worrying than game tactics. And Huhkajavätti Lukas Hradecky too hasn’t been in top form in recent seasons.

Xabi Alonso’s rescue project

The club’s solution to turn the course of the early season was to hire a head coach Gerardo Seoane replaced at the beginning of October by a player legend Xabi Alonso. Alonso, inexperienced as a coach at the top level, said at his first press conference that he was ready for the challenge.

– Now we have to make this work. I bring with me fresh energy as well as my ambition, determination and motivation, Alonso described at the press conference.

The Spaniard, who communicates with the team in English, German and Spanish, has tried to run a 3-4-3 game system for the team. However, the problems are deeper than tactics.

After the 1-5 Frankfurt defeat a little over a week and a half ago, the Bild newspaper reported how the team’s players were leaving the field without thanking their fans. Captain Hradecky had to angrily pick up the players in front of the supporters to thank them, when the rest of the team was already marching to the booth.

This is exceptional in Germany, known for its supporter culture. The morale and desire of the promising players of the young team to fight for the club have been questioned in the German media.

Will the game improve before the World Cup?

Leverkusen has only finished outside the top ten in the Bundesliga once in the last 20 years. This shows how catastrophic the start of the season is.

Alonso has to balance the team’s defensive game. In defense, the team has been indifferent, because of this the distances between the players have increased and the opponents have reached too many goal posts.

Passes behind the defensive line constantly hurt the team. The former midfield maestro will try to keep the team focused for the foreseeable future.

– The situation is bad, but we can’t think about the end of the season. We have a busy week ahead of us before the Wolfsburg match and we have to continue working, the head coach commented to Bild before the weekend’s Bundesliga match.

The match ended in a 2–2 draw. Leverkusen missed a penalty kick in the match, scored an own goal and caused the opponent a penalty kick. In the next two and a half weeks, Leverkusen will play six matches, from which they must earn victories.

There is little training time in this period before the World Cup, and in the Bundesliga the team will face top club Leipzig, who have improved their skills, Union Berlin and Cologne, who surprisingly lead the league, and Stuttgart, who are one point behind Leverkusen in the league.

Now, players known for their potential must perform at their best. From Moussa Diaby, From Patrick Schick and From Callum Hudson-Oda steady power is expected. Edmond Tapsoba, by Jonathan Tah and Odilon Kossounou must show much-needed leadership in the defensive line and clarify the entire team’s off-ball play by example.

The next opportunity to promote the project is today. The result of the first meeting between Atletico and Leverkusen was one of the few bright spots of the German club’s early season, when they won 2–0. Now the game performance must also show development, because otherwise Alonso’s rescue operation risks becoming too busy.

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