Keeping Bayer Leverkusen at the highest level remains the top priority for the 2024 German champion and cup winner, the club's managing director of sport, Simon Rolfes, said.

The 43-year-old former German international praised Spanish head coach Xabi Alonso for his achievements last season and the team's continued success this year.

Jonathan Tah (front, L) of Bayer 04 Leverkusen vies with Dominique Heintz of FC Cologne during the German Cup football quarter-final match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Cologne in Leverkusen, Germany, Feb. 5, 2025. (Photo by Ulrich Hufnagel/Xinhua)

"It's a great achievement that we have more or less maintained our level and are not far behind last season," the former midfielder told Xinhua in an interview.

Rolfes acknowledged that the team may have missed small details in some games but emphasized its overall consistency. "Over the past 19 months, we have lost only one of 56 domestic matches," he said.

Competing in the UEFA Champions League has been a challenge for Leverkusen, Rolfes noted, as "the demands increase significantly for every team compared to the Europa League."

He said the club has retained its strong mentality from last season, maintaining a determined and winning mindset.

Despite trailing by eight points in the Bundesliga, Bayer has reached the German Cup semifinals and advanced to the top eight in the newly formatted Champions League league phase.

In the round of 16, the reigning German champion could face Celtic, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid or Manchester City.

Rolfes highlighted the club's commitment to creating an environment for sustained success. "We erased the image of being perpetual runners-up by winning the national title," he said.

He described Bayer as a "professionally ambitious" club with a shared goal of achieving success.

Leverkusen continues to operate with a small squad of 19 to 20 top players. "The usual 23 to 24 players used by bigger clubs are too expensive for us. Our approach is to provide more playing time for our signings," he said.

While the market for world-class players and significant transfer budgets will persist, Rolfes acknowledged that only a few clubs in Europe can afford vast investments. "Maybe transfers in the €50 million to €70 million range will decrease, but the biggest ones will remain," he said.

Leverkusen's answer is to invest in its talent academy, which Rolfes sees as the club's best long-term strategy for maintaining success.

He credited Alonso's leadership, saying the coach's personality and expertise made him an ideal choice despite his lack of prior experience at this level. "His vast experience as a player made him the right fit," Rolfes said, calling Alonso's appointment in 2022 "an opportunity rather than a risk."

Looking ahead, Rolfes announced plans to strengthen the club's presence in international markets. "We are an internationally oriented club with players from Africa and South America. Our squad reflects the club's global mindset," he said.