Bayer Leverkusen hires Xabi Alonso as coach, fires Gerardo Seoane

LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) — Bayer Leverkusen has fired coach Gerardo Seoane and replaced with him with Xabi Alonso.

The Bundesliga club said Wednesday that it had “parted ways” with the Swiss coach and appointed the 40-year-old former Spain midfielder, who was to be given a contract through June 2024.

Seoane’s last game in charge was a 2-0 loss at Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday, days after his team was routed 4-0 at Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. Leverkusen is second from bottom in the German league with just five points from the opening eight rounds. Seoane’s team was also knocked out in the first round of the German Cup by third-division team SV Elversberg.

Seoane led Leverkusen to third place in the Bundesliga last season after joining from Swiss team Young Boys in 2021.

Leverkusen said it would present Alonso at a news conference on Thursday.

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