'Magic moment' to inspire Bayern chase, says Leverkusen boss Alonso / Photo: THOMAS KIENZLE - AFP
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'Magic moment' to inspire Bayern chase, says Leverkusen boss Alonso
Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said Sunday's last-gasp 4-3 win over Stuttgart would inspire his side's bid to chase down league leaders Bayern Munich.
Patrick Schick scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time in Stuttgart, the only moment Leverkusen led in the match.
The win brought the defending champions to within six points of Bayern, who drew 1-1 at Union Berlin on Saturday, with eight games to play.
After guiding Leverkusen to a debut Bundesliga title in 2023-24, Alonso said the impact of the dramatic victory against Stuttgart, last season's runners up, would drive his side.
"At the end this magic moment happened for us," Alonso told DAZN, adding "it means a lot, to have this super feeling.
"We'll use this good atmosphere, this good energy, into the last part of the season. All the players, they believed -- it's definitely a very important win for us."
After Schick's goal, Alonso ran onto the pitch as the Leverkusen bench emptied and embraced the Czech striker.
Leverkusen broke Bayern's 11-year title streak last season by becoming the first team in German history to win a league title unbeaten.
While Bayern eliminated Leverkusen from the last 16 of the Champions League during the week, Alonso said the win showed his side was not done yet.
"We'll see," Alonso said of the title race. "There's eight games left in the Bundesliga. Plenty of things can happen.
"We need to go game from game, win from win. It's not in our hands, we need to wait, but today was important.
"The desire, the will to fight in every game is there. Definitely."
Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah said his side "didn't give up, we believed until the end and maybe you need wins like this sometimes to show that the spirit's still there.
"We're trying to collect all of our points -- and we'll all see at the end whether it's enough."
C.P.Ajello--IM
