LEVERKUSEN LOOKING FOR A MIRACLE

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso must channel the "Miracle of Istanbul", Liverpool's incredible comeback to win the 2005 Champions League final in which he played a key role, to overcome Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

On that day, then Liverpool midfielder Alonso scored the equalizer against AC Milan, as the Reds came from 3-0 down at halftime to draw 3-3, before winning the match on penalties.

After Bayern's 3-0 win in Munich in the first leg of the Bundesliga rival's last-16 tie, the deficit is the same for Alonso's charges heading into the return fixture.

Leverkusen, the defending German champion, which had not lost to Bayern in six matches under Alonso, capitulated in Munich last week, with the Basque lamenting a "self-inflicted" defeat where his side "gave everything" to its opponent.

Leverkusen's woes may be compounded by an injury to midfield lynchpin Florian Wirtz, who limped off after a rough challenge against Werder Bremen on Saturday having played just 14 minutes.

Revival of fortunes

With this season's final in Munich, Bayern was under more pressure than Leverkusen heading into the first leg.

But, after a goalkeeping howler, an unnecessary penalty and some poor marking for a Harry Kane header, Bayern already has a foot in the quarterfinals.

Leverkusen has not made it as far as the last eight of the Champions League since its run to the final in 2002, where it lost to a Zinedine Zidane-inspired Real Madrid.

A two-time Champions League winner as a player, Alonso has outlined the scale of the task now awaiting his side, but knows from experience anything is possible.

"After this game, we'll need a bit more time, so we can recover — in football we've seen big miracles quite often and we almost need one," he said last Wednesday.

"It's football, it's not my first time (against the odds), and there's another game at home."

Alonso may be relatively inexperienced — this season is his first coaching in the Champions League and his second full campaign at the top level — but he has already performed miracles in the Leverkusen dugout.

Weighed down by the unwanted 'Neverkusen' moniker, having never won the Bundesliga in its 120-year history, Alonso took over with the club in the midst of a relegation battle in October 2022.

Alonso had an almost immediate impact, reviving the club's fortunes as it stacked up a series of victories, including a 2-1 defeat of Bayern, which proved to be Julian Nagelsmann's last match in charge of the German giant before getting sacked.

The following season, Alonso piloted Leverkusen to an unprecedented unbeaten league and cup double, along with a run to the Europa League final.

That Europa League final defeat was Leverkusen's only loss in 53 games last season.

Alonso's men scored 17 stoppage-time goals in all competitions, showcasing a self-belief that stayed resolute until the final whistle.

'A big response'

Both Leverkusen and Bayern crashed back to earth in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Leverkusen lost 2-0 at home to a Werder Bremen side that had won just one of 10 games in 2025.

Bayern went down 3-2 at home to relegation-threatened Bochum, the visitor's first win in Munich since 1991.

A win for Alonso's side would have brought it to within five points of league leader Bayern, striking a mental blow before Tuesday's second leg.

A frustrated Alonso lamented his side's bad day against Bremen, something which has been rare since the 43-year-old's arrival.

"After the big defeat in Munich, we wanted to be fresh today. It didn't work," he said after Saturday's loss.

"Nothing worked today. Not on the wing, not in the center. I'm responsible for that."

Bayern striker Harry Kane promised a reaction against Leverkusen after his side's shock defeat.

"It's a chance to show a response," the England captain told reporters. "Whenever we've lost this season, we've gone into the next game with fire in our belly.

"Leverkusen have lost two in a row, and they'll try and have a big response at home. We need to be ready for that."

AFP