BERLIN – Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso still believes his side have the potential to improve after they extended their unbeaten run to 48 matches across all competitions on May 5 to equal the record in European football.
The Bundesliga champions thrashed Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 to match Benfica’s record for the longest unbeaten run in all competitions including European matches set from 1963 to 1965. During the German outfit’s impressive streak, they have won 40 games and failed to score just once in their eight draws.
“Our level, our consistency throughout the season is great. But we are always moving forward. We are always concentrating on the work and improving,” the 42-year-old Spaniard said.
Leverkusen, who are edging closer to an unbeaten season across all competitions, have two league matches remaining as well as the German Cup final.
They are also in the Europa League semi-finals and face AS Roma at home in the second leg on May 9, when they will have the chance to break Benfica’s record after a 2-0 win in Rome last week.
“It’s a big challenge, we have two (league) games left, it will be the perfect run. We will certainly try,” said Alonso, who is also eyeing the prospect of a Europa League final against Marseille or Atalanta in Dublin, Ireland, on May 22.
“We still have games to play to achieve our big goals in all competitions. The next game is important for us, the second leg of the Europa League semi-final: a chance to reach the final.
“In football, it’s sometimes difficult to stop. You have to prepare for the next game. And the next game is a big game for us. Hopefully we have the chance to be in a European final again.”
Midfielder Granit Xhaka, who scored in the win over Frankfurt, told DAZN: “We had control of the game. We wanted to stay undefeated, we did that again – and we are really close to achieving something very special.”
Patrik Schick and Jeremie Frimpong also scored, while both Exequiel Palacios and Victor Boniface converted penalties to hand Leverkusen their first win in Frankfurt for six years.
Leverkusen will play VfL Bochum and Augsburg in their final two Bundesliga games before facing second-tier Kaiserslautern in German Cup final on May 25.
REUTERS, AFP
