" Don't think too much about what will happen after the match". Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso gave such advice to his players, who may be 90 minutes away from the first historic championship title in the club's 120-year history, AFP reported, quoted by BTA.
Still unbeaten in 42 games this season, the Leverkusen side host Werder Bremen on Sunday at 6.30pm in the 29th round of the Bundesliga and a win will see them out of reach at the top.
"The team is concentrated, focused. I trust them and if we do that we will have something to celebrate. But there are 90 minutes of play for this victory," the Spaniard explained during his press conference.
42-year-old Xabi Alonso already knows this situation as a player, when he had to claim titles with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. "Don't think too much about what will happen next,", he advised the players.
"Fortunately, this is not our only opportunity to win. But of course we want to win on Sunday. To celebrate a title at home with the fans will be nice", he wished.
Technically, Bayer Leverkusen could be champions as early as Saturday on TV if Bayern Munich lose at home to relegation strugglers Cologne and if Stuttgart go down at Eintracht Frankfurt.
"This will be a very big surprise. If I have to be honest, I prefer to win the title on the field after our victory," said the coach.
A smiling Xabi Alonso answered in his native tongue the questions of the Spanish journalists who had come to cover his triumph, and then translated everything into German.
He declined to talk about any celebrations, but admitted he was "ready" about the traditional beer shower that the players of the German champions arrange for their coach after the final whistle.