Naby Keita refuses to play for Werder Bremen as Xabi Alonso wins Bundesliga after rejecting Liverpool

Xabi Alonso has guided Bayer Leverkusen to their maiden Bundesliga title.

Die Werkself have been crowned German champions after a 5-0 thrashing of Werder Bremen. Bayer are 16 points clear of second-placed Bayern Munich and claimed the silverware with five matches still to play.

It represents a magnificent feat for Alonso. The former Liverpool midfielder took charge of the club in October 2022 when Bayer were second-bottom of the table. In just 18 months, they have made a magnificent turnaround to win their first Bundesliga crown.

Alonso was in the frame to succeed Jurgen Klopp as Anfield boss at the end of the season. However, the Spaniard has declared he will remain at Bayer as they prepare for life in the Champions League next season.

But in Bayer’s win, there was no Naby Keita for Werden Bremen. The midfielder left Liverpool last summer after a disappointing five years on Merseyside having signed for £52 million from RB Leipzig.

Keita surprisingly joined Werder but has played just five times this season. According to the club’s director of football, Clemens Fritz, Keita refused to travel to Leverkusen when he found out he was not starting. Frtiz said: “After Naby found out yesterday that he would not be playing from the start, he decided not to get on the bus but to go home. We will talk to him and his agent tomorrow about the consequences and how to proceed."