How do you follow up an historic upset? That’s the question facing Xabi Alonso and Bayer Leverkusen as they seek to prove they belong among European soccer’s top teams after ending Bayern Munich’s 11-year reign in the German league last season.

With Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen side trailing Bundesliga leaders, Bayern Munich by eight points, the Leverkusen Head Coach tried to play down the hype on Friday ahead of an enthralling

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso was caught by surprise when the news broke that Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala had renewed his contract until 2030 on the eve of the two teams' big Bundesliga topper on Saturday.

Saturday's Bundesliga big game between leaders Bayern Munich and champions Bayer Leverkusen is not a title-deciding game even though the latter are eight points behind the Bavarians, Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said on Friday.

Xabi Alonso has enjoyed great success at Bayer Leverkusen, and the club's chief executive expects the Spaniard to stay next season.

Bayer Leverkusen's chief executive Fernand Carro is confident Xabi Alonso will remain with the club heading into next season. ( More Football News) Alonso led Leverkusen to an undefeated Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double last season. Indeed, Leverkusen's only loss of the entire campaign came in the Europa League final against Atalanta.

LEVERKUSEN – Asked if coach Xabi Alonso could one day be commemorated outside Bayer Leverkusen’s BayArena home, club chief executive Fernando Carro said that “after last year, it’s already enough for a statue”.

Xabi Alonso eqaulled the all-time coach record for the longest unbeaten run in away games in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Whatever the result, Bayer Leverkusen’s club chief executive Fernando Carro recently said that Alonso has “already [done] enough for a statue” but the Head Coach will not be resting on past achievements as he looks to knock Bayern Munich off their Bundesliga perch.