Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso is on the verge of resignation – he was unable to maintain the extremely high level of the previous season

Preparing for the worst case scenario – that's what distinguishes a clever midfield strategist. "No matter what happens, we had a great time," said Granit Xhaka, Leverkusen's leader.

These words, which anticipate a farewell but don't present it as inevitable, were addressed to Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso. Xhaka uttered these words after the 2-2 draw Leverkusen achieved in Freiburg last Sunday, two games before the end of the season. The Swiss also said that the coach was in no way giving the impression that he wanted to leave. That's just how professionals do things.

This doesn't necessarily mean much. Alonso, who is rumored to be interested in moving to Real Madrid, has a gifted poker face. He's also an extremely serious coach. Anything less than commitment until the very last moment is unthinkable for a coach like him. And negotiations can easily be conducted even after the season.

Certainly, it's worth debating whether the timing for Alonso to sign with Real Madrid is the best possible. The team is far from at its peak; Arsenal's dismantling in the Champions League quarterfinals was more of a humiliation than a typical elimination. However, expectations of every coach are incredibly high at any given time in Madrid, where, in principle, anything less than a Champions League victory is a disappointment.

In Leverkusen, even the biggest football romantics knew that the coach's stay would be limited after the spectacular past season. Quite a few were already expecting the Basque to leave last summer. Since Alonso stayed then, it's no surprise that a move is now looming. He has planned his coaching career extremely carefully so far. The fact that Leverkusen became champions without losing a single Bundesliga game and also won the DFB Cup must have far exceeded his expectations.

The decision to spend a second year in Leverkusen was likely not based on sentimental considerations, but rather on thoroughly rational ones: Having the opportunity as a coach to play in the Champions League for the first time and, unlike in Madrid, not feel the pressure to at least reach the final, let alone win the title – that's exactly what the Leverkusen milieu guaranteed him. Not only, but also out of gratitude for having rescued the unassuming city on the outskirts of Cologne from the seemingly eternal curse of titlelessness.

He still enjoys the credit of the club and its supporters. Even though, after the resounding defeat to FC Bayern in the Champions League, something resembling criticism of last season's championship-winning coach arose for the first time. Suddenly, the man whose football was a closed book to his rivals seemed decipherable: The same team that had just moments before had no chance in the 0-0 draw in Leverkusen and should have lost the Bundesliga match by a large margin, dominated their opponents at will in both round of 16 matches. While there had previously been many defenders of the coach, pointing out that things had gone exceptionally well the previous year, this popularity now dwindled.

The criticism was by no means unjustified. Bayern, their main rival, started the season with Vincent Kompany, a new, inexperienced coach, and the club had also been through turbulent times. Leverkusen, on the other hand, appeared more stable, and after a modest start to the season, they embarked on a remarkable run of eleven consecutive wins in the winter.

But at that moment, when the role of favorite changed, Leverkusen stumbled, gave away games, and lost to underdogs. What Leverkusen lacked was the conviction that they could decide a game in the final minutes, something they had so clearly demonstrated in their championship year. In Freiburg, they at least managed to avert defeat. But the team rediscovered their old qualities too late.

While the team and its coach had been soaring above the competition last year, this year they gave the impression of being afraid of their own courage. The fact that second place, which Leverkusen is currently heading for, is still a respectable result cannot console this realization. Granit Xhaka summed it up succinctly: No matter how long the coach remains at the club, Leverkusen and Xabi Alonso have had their time.

This is also due to the circumstances. Florian Wirtz's future is uncertain, as is that of Robert Andrich. In addition, Jonathan Tah, the defensive strategist, will be leaving the club. Not ideal conditions for an ambitious coach striving for the highest honors.

And so the predictions that once predicted Leverkusen's double victory would remain an exception for the Werkself club are likely to come true. And regardless of who succeeds Xabi Alonso—the Dutchman Erik ten Hag is apparently considered one of the most promising candidates—the new coach will at least not be held to the absurdly high standard of last year's record-breaking season.