‘Too early’ to say Leverkusen out of title race: Alonso

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said it was “too early” to write off his side’s title defence despite dropping more points in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Werder Bremen. 

Leverkusen led twice but were pegged back on both occasions, including conceding their second in the 90th minute. 

Last season, Leverkusen dropped just 12 points on the way to an unbeaten Bundesliga title.

However, Alonso’s side have already dropped nine this campaign. 

They sit five points behind league leaders RB Leipzig but despite the setbacks, Alonso said his side still had time. 

“Now in October, it’s too early,” Alonso said when asked about Leverkusen’s hopes of defending their title. 

“We want to be more consistent and when we get to that level, we will pick up more points.

“Anything can happen in the table… there’s too many matches to come.”

While Leverkusen continue to fire up front, they have been leaky at the back, conceding 15 goals in eight games compared to 24 in 34 games last season.

And the champions are yet to keep a clean sheet in the league this term.

“We want the feeling that we can control the game, that we don’t give away chances to the opponent,” Alonso said. 

“We didn’t do that well today.

“We gave Bremen the chances and made it too easy – it’s not good and I’m of course not satisfied.”

Leverkusen’s Granit Xhaka agreed it was “too early” to say the race was run, but was frustrated at his side’s failure to see out the match. 

“If you don’t kill the game, you concede – it’s very simple in football,” Xhaka told the Bundesliga website. 

“It should not be possible that we go in front twice and still don’t win the game. It’s not enough like this—we need to see the reality at the moment.”