Former Liverpool star Xabi Alonso has quickly risen as one of the most promising young managers in Europe.
In his first season in charge at Bayer Leverkusen, he guided them to the Bundesliga title, becoming the first side to go 51 games unbeaten last season. He also got them to the Europa League final where they failed to be Atalanta.
However, as this season unfolds, Leverkusen, who currently sit fourth in the table, have seen their tactical style tested more frequently, with opponents increasingly finding ways to exploit weaknesses in Alonso’s system.