Alonso on managing Wirtz's minutes: "We needed him for half an hour"
Florian Wirtz was a doubt for Bayer Leverkusen's clash with Eintracht Frankfurt and ended up playing 30 minutes. Speaking after the game, Xabi Alonso explained that he didn't want to take too much of a risk with the youngster.
After it was confirmed that Florian Wirtz had suffered an ankle capsule injury in Germany's 1-0 win over the Netherlands on Monday, the youngster's chances of playing for Bayer Leverkusen against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday looked bleak.
But when the time came, Wirtz was deemed fit enough to come on from the bench with 30 minutes remaining, and he made an impact as his cross led to Victor Boniface's winner.
"That was the plan, we needed him for half an hour. It was too much for him to start," said Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, explaining his decision to manage Wirtz's minutes.
“He made a good impact from the bench.”
Time will tell if Wirtz will be back in the starting line-up for Wednesday's Champions League clash with Stade Brest.