Leverkusen’s Alonso admits ‘mixed feelings’ after a tactical clinic with no goals against Bayern

LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) — Xabi Alonso sank to his knees, leaned back and put both hands over his face. Once again, his team failed to score.

Bayer Leverkusen had already hit the bar twice when Florian Wirtz skewed a shot just wide of the post in added time, prompting his coach’s display of frustration on Saturday.

Alonso admitted even he was surprised how well his team’s tactics worked against a Bayern Munich team which was rendered almost toothless. “We didn’t expect to be so dominant,” Alonso said.

The only problem was, Leverkusen didn’t win. Its Bundesliga title defense now looks a faint hope.

“There are mixed feelings. On one side, the feeling that you have played a fantastic game. I think that the way we have played, it’s been our best game against Bayern this year, probably even last year,” Alonso said.

“The way we have been able to play, with the ball, against the ball, we have done almost everything right. We missed the goal, but we have created enough chances to score, so from that side I have to compliment my team. Really a fantastic performance.”

Alonso benched both of his main strikers and relied on Wirtz’s creativity and the pace of Jeremie Frimpong and Nathan Tella to test Bayern’s defense. They all had chances to score, but none did.

With a 0-0 draw, Bayern’s lead remains eight points and Leverkusen’s already slim title hopes now likely require Bayern to collapse over the 12 remaining games.

Alonso remained unbeaten in six games as a coach against Bayern in all competitions. They might meet again soon. If Bayern can get past Celtic in the Champions League playoffs, it faces either Leverkusen or Atletico Madrid in the round of 16.

Kane not a factor

Bayern recorded just two shots all game, neither on target, and none before the 73rd minute.

It was hardly a great showcase for Harry Kane, whose England coach Thomas Tuchel was watching from the stands.

All Kane had to show for his effort was an offside, off-target header in the first half — Kane needed medical treatment after colliding face-first with a defender on his follow through — and a shot that was fired into a defender’s legs and went down as a block.

Coach Vincent Kompany said his team “expended a lot of energy” in beating Celtic 2-1 on Wednesday and praised his team’s gritty defending. “We defended well and it comes after a huge fight in Glasgow. We have to be ready again (for the second leg against Celtic) on Tuesday.”

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer