Bayer Leverkusen, led by Xabi Alonso, is struggling to maintain the heights of last season.

BERLIN (AP) — Bayer Leverkusen is struggling to reach the high standards it set for itself last season.

Xabi Alonso’s side have already dropped points in five of their nine Bundesliga games, with Tuesday’s 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League their second defeat of the season.

late goals which characterized last season’s remarkable campaigns in the Bundesliga and German Cup – Leverkusen won both without losing a single game, they seem to have dried up.

Leverkusen have already conceded 15 goals in the Bundesliga. This is only nine goals less than they conceded in the championship all of last season.

Although Leverkusen drew 1-1 away to Bayern, they also failed to beat relegation candidates Holstein Kiel and Werder Bremen.

The aura of invincibility that Alonso created around the team has evaporated. But it’s not for lack of trying. Before Liverpool gameLeverkusen had 19 shots on goal in goalless draw with Stuttgartwhich was second in the Bundesliga last season.

Missed chances have replaced late goals as a recurring problem, although defense is also a concern.

Granit Xhaka has slammed the last three goals his side conceded against Liverpool, suggesting the team’s intensity had dropped after conceding the first goal, although the Swiss midfielder remains confident the team can bounce back.

“If we keep doing our thing, we will start winning games again,” Xhaka said.

Alonso doesn’t seem too concerned about his team’s results either.

“To beat top-top teams, you need to go through difficult moments and suffer. We need to learn from this,” Alonso said after the defeat at Liverpool.

Alonso decided to stay at Leverkusen despite a host of suitors reportedly keen to secure his services in the summer, including former clubs Bayern Munich and Liverpool, and the Spanish coach did not change or alter his approach to winning the title.

The composition of last season remained virtually unchanged throughout the summer. Central defender Odilon Kossunou left for Atalanta, and Leverkusen brought in Nordi Mukiele from Paris Saint-Germain as a replacement. Mukiele hasn’t played much yet.

Defense chief Jonathan Ta looked set to join Bayern but the clubs failed to agree on a transfer price for the player, whose contract with Leverkusen expires at the end of this season. Tah has played every minute for the team so far.

Leverkusen are already seven points behind unbeaten Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. He then has a short trip to Bochum on Saturday when Bochum’s new coach Dieter Hecking is hoping to see some improvement from a team that has lost eight of its nine games. Bochum have a point after a draw with Kiel in September.

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