Xabi Alonso Casts Doubt on Nathan Tella’s Availability for Leverkusen’s Bundesliga Clash Against Kiel

Nathan Tella, the forward for Bayer Leverkusen, is questionable for their Bundesliga clash against struggling side Holstein Kiel this weekend, according to coach Xabi Alonso. The reigning champions are eager to narrow the gap to leaders Bayern Munich.

Currently, Leverkusen occupies second place, trailing the Bavarians by eight points with only 12 league matches remaining in the season. Kiel, on the other hand, finds themselves at the bottom of the table, with just 13 points.

“It’s related to his hip,” Alonso commented in a press conference regarding Tella’s fitness. “It’s not an injury, but we need to assess how Nathan is feeling during today’s training session. He is experiencing some discomfort.”

Despite failing to secure a victory in their recent 0-0 stalemate against Bayern, Leverkusen gleaned valuable insights from the match, with Alonso highlighting their performance against one of Germany’s best teams.

“Although it’s been a week since that match, we have gained from the experience. The way we played against the top team in Germany was commendable,” he noted. “We’re prepared to compete against the leading teams in Europe, relying on our style of play and mentality.”

Leverkusen has also progressed to the semi-finals of the German Cup and the Round of 16 in the Champions League.

“We demonstrated our capability to contend (against Bayern), but we must maintain that level against all our opponents. Tomorrow, we will bring our best energy and football. That’s our goal,” Alonso added.

The Spanish manager refrained from making any predictions about their title ambitions post-draw against Bayern, emphasising that anything is possible in the remaining fixtures.

“There are still 12 games left. Our focus is on ourselves. If Bayern falters, we’ll be ready. But we’re not looking too far ahead, as that can be a risky approach in football,” he concluded.