Guardiola backs “lovely Xabi Alonso” to success at Leverkusen

announced on Wednesday that they have sacked Gerardo Seoane and appointed

as their new manager. He has signed a two-year contract with the German club. Leverkusen has only one of their eight games in the Bundesliga this season and sits 17th in the table.

Alonso started his coaching career with Real Madrid's youth team and in 2019 was appointed as Real Sociedad B manager. He left them at the end of the last season. Speaking at

's pre-match press conference, Guardiola backed his former player to taste success as a coach.

"He was an exceptional holding midfielder, and when you are an exceptional holding midfielder you have to understand the game,"

Guardiola said on Friday.

"He reads perfectly, and he's a lovely, lovely person."

praised Leverkusen as a good team as he backed his

Bayern

former player to seize the "good opportunity". He added:

"It's an incredible opportunity. He goes to the Bundesliga, a league that he knows quite well.

"It's a really good team in the Bundesliga, prestigious, still playing Champions League, I wish him the best, and hopefully he can do the job."

Leverkusen

dismissed Seoane after their 2-0 loss to Porto, which was followed by a 4-0 Bundesliga defeat to Bayern. Despite securing a place in the top six through the last five seasons, the team now is in relegation danger as they will face

this weekend.

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