Soccer - Xhaka after Arsenal experience: "Knows how it feels"
Granit Xhaka experienced it all last year. While the whole of Germany admires Bayer Leverkusen and its new leader Xhaka for 39 points after 15 games, the Swiss player remembers last season with Arsenal FC. There were even 40 points in the account after 15 games. After 29 match days, Xhaka and the Gunners still had an eight-point lead over Manchester City with one more game played. At the end of the season, after 38 games, they were five points behind - and the dream of a first championship since 2004 was shattered.
"We not only played well in the first half of the season, but also in the second half," said the Swiss after the 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday: "Except for the last eight games, in which we unfortunately lost the title. That's why I'm speaking from experience. Because I know what it feels like to be up there and not win in the end."
The longing for the first ever championship title is great in Leverkusen. And not just since the Christmas championship was decided one matchday before the end of the year. "Just the one wish year after year. One day it will come true," the fans held up the championship trophy in a choreo before the game
"Sure, you can dream," said Xhaka: "We're in a phase at the moment that is brutally beautiful for every Leverkusen fan, for us players, indeed for everyone at the club. But in soccer, everything can change from one day to the next." That's why his team has to "keep working with both feet on the ground", said the 31-year-old: "And in the end, you also need a bit of luck. We didn't have that at Arsenal."
For now, Xhaka is looking forward to the winter break after Wednesday's match against Bochum - which inflicted Bayer's last defeat in May without Xhaka. "I'm probably looking forward to it the most in the whole club," said the midfield organizer after his years in England, where games are played through Christmas: "To finally have a winter break again after seven years is very good for me and my family. In recent years, I've usually played on December 26 and 28 and on January 1 too." That's why he will "enjoy the vacation. But I will also try to come back as fit as possible so that I can continue to play at this level.
He advises his colleagues to do the same. After all, Arsenal's collapse shortly before the big goal was not least due to injuries to key players. "That's why I say: we have to take very good care of ourselves. How we eat and how we recover during the winter break," said Xhaka. Sporting director Simon Rolfes liked this statement very much. "You need that kind of momentum in the team," said the former international: "It sometimes has a different quality than when it comes from outside. The winter break starts on Wednesday night, but it's short. And you're a professional all year round."
Everyone in Leverkusen seems to have understood that at the moment. "It's very, very difficult to stop us at the moment," said Xhaka: "And of course we want to keep it that way." Unlike last year at Arsenal.
Information on the match at bundesliga.de
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Source: www.stern.de
