BERLIN, 10 March 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso will need to summon the spirit of Liverpool’s legendary “Miracle of Istanbul” as his side attempts to overturn a three-goal deficit against Bayern Munich in their UEFA Champions League last-16 second-leg clash on Tuesday.
Alonso, who played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s astonishing 2005 Champions League final comeback, scoring the equaliser against AC Milan before the Reds triumphed on penalties, now finds himself in a similarly daunting position. Leverkusen, beaten 3-0 in the first leg in Munich, must produce a performance of similar resilience and determination to keep their European hopes alive.
The reigning Bundesliga champions, previously unbeaten against Bayern in six encounters under Alonso, succumbed to a self-inflicted defeat last week. Mistakes at the back, including a costly goalkeeping error, a conceded penalty, and poor marking that allowed Harry Kane to score, have left them on the brink of elimination.
Their challenge is further complicated by an injury to midfield maestro Florian Wirtz, who limped off the pitch just 14 minutes after coming on as a substitute in their league match on Saturday.
A ‘Big Miracle’ Required
With this year’s Champions League final set to take place in Munich, Bayern entered the first leg under greater pressure than Leverkusen. However, Thomas Tuchel’s side capitalised on Leverkusen’s errors to put one foot firmly in the quarter-finals.
Leverkusen, on the other hand, have not reached the last eight of Europe’s premier competition since their remarkable run to the 2002 final, where they fell to a stunning volley from Zinedine Zidane as Real Madrid claimed the trophy.
Alonso, a two-time Champions League winner during his playing career, acknowledged the scale of the challenge ahead but remains optimistic.
“In football, we’ve seen big miracles quite often, and we almost need one,” the Spanish tactician admitted. “It’s football – I’ve been in this situation before, and we still have another game to play at home.”
Despite his relative inexperience at the managerial level, Alonso has already worked wonders with Leverkusen. When he took over in October 2022, the club was flirting with relegation. In just two seasons, he guided them to an unbeaten Bundesliga title-winning campaign, a domestic cup triumph, and a run to the Europa League final.
Leverkusen’s resilience was a defining feature of last season, as they netted 17 stoppage-time goals across all competitions. That fighting spirit will be crucial if they are to stand any chance of producing a historic comeback against Bayern.
Setbacks for Both Sides
Both Leverkusen and Bayern suffered unexpected Bundesliga defeats on Saturday. Leverkusen fell 2-0 at home to Werder Bremen, a side that had won just once in their last 10 league matches. Bayern, meanwhile, suffered a shock 3-2 home loss to relegation-threatened Bochum, marking the visitors’ first victory in Munich since 1991.
Had Leverkusen secured a win, they would have cut Bayern’s lead at the top of the table to just five points, dealing a psychological blow ahead of Tuesday’s clash. Instead, Alonso was left ruing his team’s lacklustre performance.
“After the heavy defeat in Munich, we wanted to be fresh today. It didn’t work,” he admitted. “Nothing worked today – not on the wings, not in the centre. That’s my responsibility.”
Bayern’s talismanic striker Harry Kane, who has already punished Leverkusen once in this tie, vowed his team would bounce back.
“It’s a chance to show a response,” the England captain said. “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 be eager to respond at home. We need to be ready for that.”
Historical Context and Parallel Comebacks
Should Leverkusen pull off a stunning turnaround, it would rank among the greatest comebacks in Champions League history. Barcelona’s famous 6-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, overturning a 4-0 first-leg deficit, remains the benchmark for miraculous recoveries. Likewise, Liverpool’s Istanbul comeback and Roma’s 2018 turnaround against Barcelona serve as reminders that no tie is truly over until the final whistle.
For Alonso and his men, the odds are stacked against them – but if history has taught anything, it is that football thrives on the improbable.