Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Jonas Hofmann did not hold back his criticism of former manager Xabi Alonso, who he claims did not utilize “open and direct” communication.
After two and a half seasons in charge of Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso bid farewell to the German outfit in May to become Real Madrid’s new manager. The Spaniard left behind an undeniable legacy in Leverkusen after leading the club to its first-ever Bundesliga title in 2023–24.
While the club and many of his former players had nothing but praise for Alonso upon his departure, Hofmann opened up about what he viewed as the manager’s shortcomings in an interview with Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.
“I expect a coach to say something directly if something catches his attention. I expect open and direct communication,” Hofmann said.
The German went on to reiterate the importance of communication between a player and his manager, no matter the circumstances: “No more than two weeks should go by without a coach speaking to his players to keep them in top form and raise the level of training.”
Hofmann played a pivotal role in Bayer Leverkusen’s historic 2023–24 campaign in his first season at the club, making 46 appearances across all competitions. In this past season, though, the 33-year-old was often overlook by Alonso, and ended the 2024–25 campaign with just four league starts to his name.
“Competition is always necessary, that’s clear,” Hofmann said. “I expected a little more from a coach.”
The arrival of new manager Erik ten Hag is a welcomed fresh start for the former Borussia Mönchengladbach man: “New coach, new opportunity. I’m a Bundesliga kid and I’m going to fight to get back to my level. I feel good, but with Xabi Alonso I probably would have thought about a change of scenery.”
Alonso, meanwhile, is in for a new opportunity of his own. The FIFA World Cup winner has been entrusted by Real Madrid to get the biggest club in the world back to a team worthy of lifting trophies.
The new boss’s first test came this summer at the FIFA Club World Cup, where Los Blancos were eliminated in the semifinals by defending European champions Paris Saint-Germain. Despite the disappointing finish, the Spanish giants still made important strides in the United States following a poor final campaign under Carlo Ancelotti.
Alonso will look to continue building trust and communication with his new players ahead of the 2025–26 season, which kicks off in less than a month.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘I Expected a Little More’—Real Madrid Boss Xabi Alonso Slammed by Former Player.