GRANIT XHAKA pranked his own manager with a goal celebration as brilliant as his stunning strike.
Xabi Alonso went from ecstasy to terror on the sideline as the former Arsenal midfielder lashed into the back of the net only to immediately grab his hamstring.
But it turned out the Liverpool target was the only one not in on the joke as the Bundesliga leaders went 11 points clear of Bayern Munich with Friday’s 2-1 defeat of Mainz.
Fans loved the comical caper after the Swiss star scored for the first time in 25 matches since quitting the Gunners for Alonso’s side.
Xhaka went from hardman to funny man – despite the tension at the top of the German top flight as Leverkusen bid to dethrone Bayern.
He’s certainly had a long time to plan something special for his first goal.
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And his moment arrived after he skilfully shifted his body to thunder home a first-time left-footer from 25 yards in just the fourth minute.
Xhaka wheeled away to rejoice – but quickly pulled up, clutching the back of his left leg and grimacing.
Team-mates encircled the 31-year-old to salute his goal.
And gradually Xhaka as well as wing-back Jeremie Frimpong turned the leg-holding into a celebration – as they danced off, lifting their knees in unison, while their colleagues grinned knowingly.
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Ex-Liverpool midfield stylist Alonso was pictured on the Leverkusen bench with a worried expression that turned into a burst of laughter as looked on with his coaching team.
One fan on social media responded: “I died laughing” while another wrote: “The reaction of the staff lol.”
Other viewers hailed Xhaka’s antics with comments like: “He faked his coach lol” and “Lol I thought he was going to twerk”.
And one observer even compared the Leverkusen levity to other epic celebrations.
He posted: “The video has everything to become iconic. The goal, celebration, the commentators who were fooled and Alonso who holds back the trainers.”
But if Xhaka had the first laugh, Mainz keeper Robin Zentner was the victim of the last one – with a costly cock-up.
Dominik Kohr had headed a shock leveller for the lowly visitors in only the eighth minute.
And although Zentner produced a string of classy saves, he then fumbled in a Robert Andrich shot for Leverkusen’s winner midway trough the second half.
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One fan labelled the German stopper a “Karius clone” – a hars reference to Lorius Karius, who gifted Real Madrid two goals in Liverpool’s 3-1 Champions League final defeat six years ago.
Friday’s triumph means Leverkusen have now gone a club record 33 games unbeaten in all competitions.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
