Alonso urges Bayer to channel 'Miracle of Istanbul'

Xabi Alonso said Bayer Leverkusen must use Liverpool's 'Miracle of Istanbul' as motivation for a Champions League fightback against Bayern Munich after suffering a 3-0 round of 16 defeat against the Bundesliga leaders.

Two Harry Kane goals and one from Jamal Musiala gave Bayern a commanding first-leg lead ahead of next Tuesday's second-leg, when Leverkusen will be without midfielder Nordi Mukiele following a sending off for two yellow cards in the Allianz Arena.

Leverkusen recorded a 3-0 home win against Bayern on their way to a first-ever German title last season and the same scoreline must be repeated for Alonso's team to stay in the tie next week.

But after helping Liverpool fight back from a 3-0 half-time deficit against AC Milan to win the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul, Leverkusen coach Alonso said that his team can pull off a similar result in the BayArena next week.

"Absolutely," Alonso said when asked about using Liverpool's win as inspiration. "It will take time to analyse and go through this result because we have been beaten well. Everything went against us because of us.

"But it is not over until it is over and, as you said, anything can happen. The mindset has to be that and if there is a chance, we will fight for it.

"We have to fight back. We will learn from this and believe in our return leg. We don't give up so easily.

"Three goals? You never know. One goal can change anything."

After conceding the opening goal on four minutes, Leverkusen also saw Mukiele sent off and referee Michael Oliver award Bayern a penalty following a VAR intervention after a challenge by Edmond Tapsoba on Kane.

But Alonso said that his team were largely the architects of their own downfall.

"A lot went against us today, but that was our own fault," he said. "We didn't have good control and made big mistakes. That's obviously very annoying."