BERLIN (AP) 鈥 Xabi Alonso is waiting just like everyone else to see who will coach Real Madrid next season.
The Spanish coach said on Friday he knew 鈥渘othing new鈥 about his future amid links to his former club, but that he understands why the uncertainty continues and no decisions have been made.
鈥淚 respect what happens in other clubs,鈥 the Bayer Leverkusen coach said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a situation that I need to talk about. I know that they鈥檙e at a stage in the season in which they鈥檙e still fighting for the championship, and we also have our goals. The season isn鈥檛 over, so we must wait.鈥
Alonso is widely expected to return to Madrid 鈥 where he played from 2009-14 鈥 and take over if current coach Carlo Ancelotti departs at the end of the season. The 65-year-old Italian鈥檚 contract with Madrid runs for another season but he is being after what has been a disappointing season so far for the Spanish powerhouse.
Madrid was in the Champions League quarterfinals, lost the Copa del Rey final to bitter rival Barcelona last weekend, and is trailing the Catalan club by four points with five rounds remaining in La Liga. They meet again in Barcelona on May 11.
Ancelotti has said he will remain with Madrid for as long as the club president Florentino P茅rez wants him to stay. That will likely depend on his team鈥檚 remaining five league games.
Alonso, who took over Leverkusen when it was in the Bundesliga鈥檚 relegation zone in October 2022, led the team to an unprecedented and last season. No other side has ever completed a Bundesliga season .
A drop in performance levels was perhaps inevitable. Leverkusen was surprised by third-division team Arminia Bielefeld in the and looks set to watch trophy on Saturday.
Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro and sporting director Simon Rolfes are keen for Alonso to see out his contract through next season. But they are also identifying possible replacements with Kicker magazine reporting on Friday that former Manchester United and Ajax coach Erik ten Hag has emerged as the favorite. The club has also been linked with former Barcelona coach Xavi.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 spoken about that,鈥 Alonso said of his possible successor. 鈥淲e speak, Fernando is there. We spoke about a few issues in the morning and there鈥檚 always a good connection and communication. We鈥檙e all informed about everything and there鈥檚 never a problem for us. We鈥檙e staying calm. We鈥檒l wait until the right moment until there鈥檚 something to decide.鈥
The 43-year-old coach added he isn鈥檛 concerning himself with any of the speculation.
鈥淚鈥檓 staying calm. I know you鈥檙e expected to have something new at every press conference, but that鈥檚 not my job. It鈥檚 to prepare the team for every game. That鈥檚 all I can say.”
Leverkusen plays at Freiburg in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
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