Alonso 'takes responsibility' as Chelsea subs rescue cup hopes
Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso accepted responsibility following his side's Champions League result against Chelsea. Chelsea's substitutes proved decisive, helping the Blues recover and keep their European cup hopes alive. The result adds pressure on Alonso's Leverkusen side while providing a lifeline for Chelsea in the competition.
Read the full story at bbc.co.ukXabi Alonso publicly owning responsibility signals accountability at a difficult moment for Leverkusen, whose Bundesliga form has been testing the manager's stock. Chelsea, meanwhile, leaned on their squad depth — a hallmark of clubs built for long European runs — to claw back into the tie. The contrast between a manager under scrutiny and a team rediscovering its cutting edge off the bench sets up an intriguing second leg, where both sides' trajectories could sharply diverge depending on how the respective managers adjust.
Context added by Socc360, not by bbc.co.uk.
Data source: bbc.co.uk (via Socc360). Last updated .
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