LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) 鈥� The legacy of Xabi Alonso still looms large at Bayer Leverkusen. Now the team he led to an is trying to find success again with another Spanish coach.
Carles Mart铆nez told the Associated Press he wants to learn from Alonso’s example, and might seek the ‘s advice, but he wants to put his own imprint on Leverkusen.
It’s barely a year since for Real Madrid, and two since he led Leverkusen to the German title and an historic unbeaten league season.
Mart铆nez arrives from Toulouse amid hopes he can turn things around after Leverkusen started 2025-26 under Erik ten Hag, only to , then missed Champions League qualification under replacement Kasper Hjulmand.
鈥淥ne thing I have learned a lot is to accept the reality, accept the place that you are (at), and here in Leverkusen it鈥檚 normal that the brand of Xabi Alonso (remains) because what they did was amazing and we have to try to take advantage of a lot of things from that,鈥� he told the AP on Friday.
鈥淏ut also it鈥檚 important that now it鈥檚 one year without Xabi Alonso. I鈥檓 sure that if I talk with him he will try to help (the club) to be better. But the most important is that after one year, come on, (I have to) learn about which type of things was amazing, which type of things Kasper (Hjulmand) did as well, and which type of things can improve, and after (that) it鈥檚 keep growing, keep building Leverkusen history. This is very, very important.鈥�
Mart铆nez said he wants to focus on communication with players and building team spirit 鈥� something that was much criticized during Ten Hag’s brief tenure last year.
Once a Barcelona youth coach who worked with a young Gavi and Xavi Simons, Mart铆nez wants to develop more young talent at Leverkusen, which has a reputation for producing some of Europe’s top players like Kai Havertz and Florian Wirtz.
Leverkusen sporting managing director Simon Rolfes told the AP he was aiming for stability in the squad after last season’s turmoil, and signings this offseason would focus on 鈥渕ore precise鈥� changes to the team.
鈥淟ast summer was a massive change of the squad, massive change of key players. So we really needed to restart building the squad,鈥� Rolfes said. 鈥淟ast summer for sure there were so many question marks in so many things and that was a challenge, so I think we can take advantage this summer from the things we did last summer.鈥�
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