Bayer Leverkusen expects Alonso to stay put
Bayer Leverkusen's chief executive Fernand Carro is confident Xabi Alonso will remain with the club heading into next season.
Alonso led Leverkusen to an undefeated Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double last season.
Indeed, Leverkusen's only loss of the entire campaign came in the UEFA Europa League final against Atalanta.
It has not scaled the same heights this season, but it has lost just one Bundesliga match and is into the semi-finals of the DFB-Pokal and Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
This weekend it hosts league leader Bayern Munich, which its trails by eight points.
Alonso has been linked to other clubs across Europe, with Real Madrid touted as a suitor, but expects the Spaniard to stay put for now.
"He has a contract until next year," Carro told reporters.
"We assume that he will be here next year."
On Leverkusen's season so far, Carro said: "It is definitely a big relief [to have qualified for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League].
"It would have been another trip this week and that would have been tough.
"With the success of last year we want to be closer to number one in the Bundesliga, but that's complaining on a high level."
