Last season is gone - Granit Xhaka prepares for title-winning pressure at Bayer Leverkusen
Granit Xhaka admits that his move from Arsenal to Bayer Leverkusen was perceived, at least in England, as a step back. A year on, and the midfielder is desperately seeking improvements on an invincible double-winning campaign.
Signed from the Gunners in the summer of 2023 after a redemption arc that saw him go from a spurned captain to one of the title challenger’s most important players, Xhaka is used to stepping up when it looks like he’s already reached his peak.
“For me it wasn't a step back, but rather two steps forward,” he reflected a year on when talking to media at Leverkusen training camp in Donaueschingen. “Because I had the exact feeling, during discussions with the coach [Xabi Alonso] and with Simon [Rolfes, managing director], that something special could happen here in the next few years."
Watch: Xabi Alonso's historic season at Leverkusen
What's Your Reaction?
