Xabi Alonso hails Mikel Arteta's competitive nature after Arsenal beat Bayer Leverkusen
- Planet Sport writer
- 8 August 2024
In a pre-season encounter at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, Arsenal delivered a commanding performance, defeating Bayer Leverkusen 4-1.
The match showcased goals from Oleksandr Zinchenko, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, and Kai Havertz, highlighting the attacking prowess of Mikel Arteta's side.
Xabi Alonso, who manages Bayer Leverkusen, was notably complimentary of Arteta, describing him as a "competitive animal."
"Competitive. He has been always a competitive animal," said Alonso.
"Here you can see how he has developed a great project.
"You could see that he wanted to win and he was preparing for that, you know. It is a fruit of many decisions that he has taken that they reach here in Arsenal."
Alonso's Leverkusen had a formidable season last year, securing the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal titles unbeaten and reaching the Europa League final. However, they struggled against a dynamic Arsenal squad in this pre-season fixture.
Looking ahead, Arsenal will next face Lyon in the Emirates Cup this weekend.
Their Premier League campaign begins with a match against Wolves on August 17.
