Bayer Leverkusen

Xabi Alonso after 1. FC Köln win: "We were lucky not to concede"

By
Moritz Baer
March 3, 2024
20:50
Xabi Alonso. Photo: Bayer Leverkusen
Xabi Alonso. Photo: Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen won 2-0 against ten-men 1. FC Köln on Bundesliga matchday 24. Xabi Alonso spoke about the win in an interview after the game.

Bayer Leverkusen gained an instant advantage in the 14th minute when Köln player Jan Thielmann was sent off.

Goals from Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo allowed die Werkself to grab a 2-0 derby away win.

Following the game, Xabi Alonso said: "It's to early to say (that I'm a good manager). Earlier, I saw Hamburg versus Osnabrück and Hamburg lost against ten men. And today, it was never spectacular and never easy."

On the matter of why it is can be so hard to play against ten men, Alonso said: "They defend deeper with ten men. There is not as much space. Of course, we had a lot of the ball and control but we couldn't make too many chances."

Xabi Alonso also noted that Köln were dangerous on the counter and also said that Bayer Leverkusen were "lucky not to concede" with Sargis Adamyan's huge chance hitting the post.

Finally, Alonso reinstated that they would take it "game by game" with the response to a question about being undefeated.

Match Result

March 3, 2024
2:30 pm
1. FC Cologne
0
:
2
Bayer Leverkusen
1. FC Cologne
Bayer Leverkusen

'14 Jan Thielmann 🟥

'38 Jeremie Frimpong ⚽️

'73 Alejandro Grimaldo ⚽️

1. FC Cologne
Jonas Urbig.

Köln's Jonas Ürbig not interested in contract extension, reports suggest

1. FC Köln goalkeeper Jonas Ürbig has been reported to not be interested in extending his current contract with FC Köln, with his current deal running out in 2026.
Timo Hübers

Should Timo Hübers still be the 1. FC Köln captain?

At the start of the 2024-25 2. Bundesliga season, Köln coach Gerhard Struber chose Timo Hübers as the captain of the squad replacing former captain Florian Kainz.
Davie Selke. Photo: Vitalii Vitleo

Davie Selke Decides to Leave 1. FC Köln

Accompanied by a Instagram post which very much was not revered by 1. FC Köln fans, Davie Selke has made the decision to leave the club from the cathedral city.
Luca Waldschmidt. Photo: Shutterstock.

Decision Made: Luca Waldschmidt to stay at 1. FC Köln

Following agreements made between VfL Wolfsburg and 1. FC Köln, Luca Waldschmidt is set to join Köln once again for another season next year in the 2. Bundesliga.
Florian Kainz. Photo: Vitalii Vitleo

Florian Kainz to stay at 1. FC Köln, Sky Germany reports

1. FC Köln's captain and wide midfielder Florian Kainz is set to stay at the club for the upcoming 2. Bundesliga season, in part thanks to his links to the new coach.
Gerhard Struber. Photo: Werner100359 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Gerhard Struber to take over at 1. FC Köln

After a good amount of weeks looking for a new coach, 1. FC Köln's board have landed on the former RB Salzburg manager Gerhard Struber for the 2. Bundesliga season.