Bundesliga
As the future of Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso remains unclear, Werkself CEO Fernando Carro discussed the subject at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid.
At the ceremony, Carro was eager to make clear just how important the decision surrounding Alonso's future will be in the coming weeks and months for the reigning Bundesliga champions.
"Whether he stays or goes will play a big role in a number of different areas. At the moment, we are already preparing for a future with Xabi Alonso and are also planning the squad with him," he explained. "Should he depart, we will need clarity in the coming weeks, which we will also discuss with him. We will not wait until the end of the season to do so, as we will need a decision beforehand because it will have an impact on the squad planning and preparation for next season."
Alonso, who joined Leverkusen in October 2022 before leading the club to their maiden Bundesliga title, the DFB Cup and UEFA Europa League final in 2023/24, has so far left his future open ahead of the summer.
Carro, though, says Alonso - who has a contract with the club through to 30 June 2026 - is just as aware as his employers about the implications of his decision: "Xabi knows just as well as us that we need to know what he intends to do, and that he needs to tell us relatively quickly."
When asked about his gut feeling in regards to whether Alonso will stay or go, Carro candidly responded: "My gut feeling is 50-50."
Besides the head coach conundrum, Carro believes Leverkusen will need to make several "small to medium changes", regardless of who is in the dug-out come August.
The next few weeks could be decisive - not only for Alonso, but for the sporting future of his current employers.