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Xabi Alonso involved in bizarre spat with Arsenal icon over Bayer Leverkusen sack warning
Xabi Alonso decided to remain at Bayer Leverkusen over joining Liverpool or Bayern Munich.
Xabi Alonso has hit back at Paul Merson in a bemusing spat over the Bayer Leverkusen boss snubbing the Liverpool job. Alonso was strongly linked with the Anfield hot seat after Jurgen Klopp announced his intention to stand down at the end of the season.
The former Liverpool midfielder ultimately turned down the opportunity to return to Liverpool or replace Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich. Alonso will remain at Leverkusen for at least another season after sealing a shock Bundesliga title.
Arsenal icon Merson was surprised by Alonso’s decision to stay at his current club. The Sky Sports pundit warned the Spaniard that the Liverpool and Bayern jobs may never arise again, and played down Leverkusen’s chances of retaining the German league title next year.
“You’ve got to make hay while the sun shines in management, and you’re talking about two of the biggest jobs in world football,” Merson said. “They might never come again. I don’t see Bayer Leverkusen winning the league again next year.
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“I think Bayern the juggernaut will continue where they’ve been the last 10 years. I’m shocked. I can understand he’s probably happy with what he’s doing, he’s getting great accolades and rightly so, but these come along once in a blue moon.
“I just hope he doesn’t regret this. I know what management’s like - everyone gets the sack in the end. They’re two of the biggest jobs in the world of football.”
Alonso has now responded to the ex-England international, telling Spanish publication AS: “Paul Merson will have made decisions that I do not value. Mine is this.”
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The 42-year-old added: “Everyone is responsible for their own decisions. I hope [my decision] to stay is the right one, I am convinced that it will be like that. I am enjoying the moment and, of course, I want to continue improving.”
Leverkusen won the Bundesliga with five matches to spare and are 13 points ahead of the usually perennial champions Bayern. Remarkably, Alonso’s side remain unbeaten across all competitions and will contest the DFB Pokal final and the semi-finals of the Europa League in May.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are looking elsewhere for their next manager and have been linked with the Sporting CP head coach Ruben Amorim. Roberto De Zerbi has also been linked, while fellow candidate Julian Nagelsmann has been ruled out after signing a new contract to remain the German national team boss.