Alonso not willing to discuss his future
Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso does not want to talk about his future at the club, having been linked with the Real Madrid head coach's job.
Should Carlo Ancelotti leave the Spanish giant at the end of the season, Alonso has been put forward in some circles as his potential successor.
The Spaniard has impressed in Germany, winning a Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal double in his first full season at the club, also going unbeaten throughout that league season, with his side's sole loss in 2023-2024 coming in the UEFA Europa League final.
Leverkusen is challenging for domestic honours again this season, sitting second in the Bundesliga behind Bayern Munich.
"It's not a good time to discuss the future. We're at a very important moment in the season," Alonso said.
"I don't want to talk about speculation and rumours. [I understand] that this is happening, but what's more important to me is what's happening right now."
Leverkusen is currently six points behind Bayern with five games remaining in the Bundesliga, the first of which comes at St Pauli on Monday (AEST).
Chief executive Fernando Carro, meanwhile, said that Alonso was already planning for next season with the German club and was "comfortable".
Alonso had been linked with Madrid, Liverpool and Bayern last season before confirming he would stay in March.
He won the LaLiga title and the UEFA Champions League during six years as a player at Real Madrid from 2009 to 2014, while he retired from playing at Bayern in 2017.
His first steps in coaching came with Real Madrid's under-14 team before moving to Real Sociedad's B team.
It was Leverkusen that offered him his first full-time head coaching job in October 2022, with the club second-bottom in the Bundesliga when he took over.
