Alonso ahead of #WOBB04: “One of the hardest away games”

“Obviously the mood in the team is good,” Alonso stated on Friday, two days after his side beat Köln in a cup derby to reach the semi-finals. “But that game is now behind us. Our focus is fully on the Bundesliga. That’s our most important competition.”

Speaking about Wolfsburg, who come into this weekend sat 10th in the table, he said: “It’ll be a very hard game, one of the hardest away games of the season. I felt at the start of the season they could have a good year. They’ve stabilised after some initial difficulties and have a clear style under Ralph Hasenhüttl.”

Adli set to return

The game in Wolfsburg, for which 2,350 Leverkusen fans are set to make the journey, brings the end to a busy period of seven matches in the space of 21 days. “It’s the last big effort of a long and intense spell with a lot of games. We’ll give our all again,” the Spaniard affirmed, looking ahead to a calmer period of three weeks with games only on weekends.

Alejandro Grimaldo won’t be involved this weekend as the left-back serves a suspension for his red card against Hoffenheim, while he’s also suffering the effects of a knock to the head against Köln. “He’ll almost certainly be fit again for Bayern next week,” Alonso stated.

However, the boss confirmed that Amine Adli will be in the matchday squad for the first time since his leg fracture in October. It means Jeanuel Belocian and Martin Terrier are the only confirmed absentees alongside Grimaldo. “We had a tough period with injuries a few months ago but have come through it well. It’s really important that we can now call upon almost all the players again. Competition in the squad is very important,” Alonso concluded.