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It was the end of a long journey with many ups and downs. In the summer of 2023, Granit Xhaka left Arsenal after seven years and moved to Bayer Leverkusen.
For many it was clear: Xhaka’s wife Leonita was the driving force behind it; she wanted to return to the Rhineland, to her homeland. All wrong. ‘Maybe the journalists in England know more than us in the family. But that was not the reason at all,” Xhaka said in July.
Now the 31-year-old makes it clear to “The Athletic”: “To be honest, she was against it. Not against us going to Leverkusen, but against us leaving London. Once you live in London, you want to stay there, especially with your family.”
“Easy decision”
The national team captain and Swiss record international (121 caps) met his current wife during his time at Borussia Mönchengladbach (2012 – 2016), when she worked at the club. The wedding followed in 2017, Ayana was born in October 2019 and Laneya in April 2021.
Both daughters were born in the British capital and have found “so many friends” there, Xhaka reports. “But in the end it was an easy decision, also for my wife and children. Because they saw the plan behind it.”
Undefeated in all competitions
This is currently going strong. Xhaka is the undisputed leader and thinker in Bayer’s midfield. Leverkusen is playing well, is still undefeated (21 wins, three draws) and leads the Bundesliga, ahead of Bayern. (Yes)
team
|
SP
|
T.D
|
PT
|
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
|
Bayer Leverkusen
|
15
|
30
|
39
|
|
2
|
Bayern Munich
|
14
|
33
|
35
|
|
3
|
RB Leipzig
|
16
|
21
|
33
|
|
4
|
VfB Stuttgart
|
15
|
15
|
31
|
|
5
|
Borussia Dortmund
|
16
|
5
|
27
|
|
6
|
TSG Hoffenheim
|
16
|
2
|
24
|
|
7
|
SC Freiburg
|
15
|
-4
|
24
|
|
8th
|
Eintracht Frankfurt
|
15
|
5
|
21
|
|
9
|
VfL Wolfsburg
|
15
|
-6
|
19
|
|
10
|
FC Augsburg
|
15
|
-4
|
18
|
|
11
|
Borussia Monchengladbach
|
15
|
-3
|
17
|
|
12
|
1. FC Heidenheim 1846
|
15
|
-8th
|
17
|
|
13
|
Werder Bremen
|
16
|
-7
|
16
|
|
14
|
VfL Bochum
|
15
|
-11
|
16
|
|
15
|
FSV Mainz
|
16
|
-15
|
10
|
|
16
|
Union Berlin
|
14
|
-16
|
10
|
|
17
|
1. FC Cologne
|
15
|
-16
|
10
|
|
18
|
SV Darmstadt 98
|
16
|
-21
|
10
|
Source : Blick

I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.