Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso was delighted with the reaction his side showed after they won a dramatic DFB-Pokal quarter-final against second-tier Cologne. (More Football News)
Alonso's team trailed 2-1 until the final seconds of the game, when Patrik Sc✱hick's equaliser took the tie to extra time, during which Victor Boniface bagged the goal that won his side the game 3-2.
Schick's brace took him to 20 goals for the season, becoming just the four💝th Leverkusen player to hit that mark in multiple campaigns after Ulf Kirsten, Stefan Kiessling and Dimitar Berbatov.
Having knocked ou𝔉t Bayern Munich in the round of 16 before Christmas, the curre♏nt holders have every chance of retaining their trophy in May, with Stuttgart standing between them and a place in the final.
Alonso said: "I am 🐟satisfied to have reached the semi-final.
"It was a very tough game aga🐈inst a very good opponent. But we showed a good reac🦹tion.
"It was maybe not our best 🐓game, but we played with a 🐠big heart. We fought until the last minute to reach this stage."
Alonso became only the third manager siꦯnce the turn of the m𝓰illennium to win each of his first 10 matches in the DFB-Pokal, after Louis van Gaal and Pep Guardiola.
The highly-rated coach has also won 1𒁃0 straight home matches in all competitions with Leverkusen൩, who are also fighting to retain the Bundesliga and are into the last 16 of the Champions League.
