VfB Stuttgart asked Xabi Alonso – Bayer Leverkusen was faster

In autumn 2022

VfB Stuttgart considered signing coach Xabi Alonso last year. “There was a call once and we talked about it very openly. But Bayer Leverkusen were two or three days faster than us. I would have loved to see him in Stuttgart,” said current “DAZN” expert and then VfB advisor Sami Khedira immediately before Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen’s game against Eintracht Frankfurt.

The 42-year-old Alonso, who took up his first position as a professional coach with the “Werkself” on October 5, 2022, confirmed the conversation. “Yes, we spoke on the phone. But Leverkusen was a little earlier and I was already in contact with Simon,” said the former world-class professional, referring to conversations with current Leverkusen sports director Simon Rolfes.

Khedira worked as a sports advisor at his former club from Stuttgart from summer 2022 to July 2023. In October 2022, the Swabians parted ways with Pellegrino Matarazzo, and after interim coach Michael Wimmer, Bruno Labbadia took over, but he only scored an average of 0.75 points in twelve games. Since the beginning of April 2023, VfB has been coached with great success by Sebastian Hoeneß, who has an average of 2.14 points per game after 29 games.

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