Simone Inzaghi believes a hangover from Inter's derby defeat to Milan ultimately impacted his team's display against Udinese.
Lautaro Martinez scored twice as Inter held on for a nervy 3-2 win over Udinese on Saturday.
Davide Frattesi put Inter in front after 43 seconds but Christian Kabasele levelled in the 35th minute before Martinez scored either side of half-time, with Lorenzo Lucca setting up a grandstand finish.
The victory came six days on from reigning Serie A champions Inter losing 2-1 to their city rivals in dramatic fashion at San Serie.
"We came across a healthy team, who got 10 points and were undefeated at home," Inzaghi said.
"However, we always kept control of the match, it's a shame about the ending where you know there can always be a negative episode."
"The two goals are two goals that we should have avoided.
"Our opponents are very dangerous when they show up in the area. We should have done better as a team in both goals, Lucca flew towards our goal with a two-goal advantage, we will have to work better when not in possession.
"[But] it had been almost two years since we lost a derby and it had been two years since we prepared for a match with such difficulties because losing a derby is not like losing a normal match."
Inter did at least snap a run of three games without a win in all competitions, with Martinez grabbing his first Serie A goals since May in the process.
"In the derby he had a good game where he got used to exploiting the chances he had," Inzaghi said.
"[A scoring drought] happens, we were all waiting for his goals. The fact that he has returned to scoring is important for everyone."
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick took the blame following Saturday's shock 4-2 defeat at the hands of Osasuna.
Flick made a call to rest some of his key players and duly paid the price as Osasuna claimed their first LaLiga win over Barca since 2020.
The former Germany and Bayern Munich boss had been aiming to become only the second Barca coach, after Gerardo Martino, to win his first eight LaLiga matches in charge.
Yet Barca were firmly second best at Estadio El Sadar, with Bryan Zaragoza's double propelling Osasuna to a deserved victory, with the visitors only able to muster 0.68 expected goals (xG).
"You have to accept these defeats. We didn't play very well. I think it's my responsibility," Flick told Movistar Plus.
"[With the changes] I tried to protect the players, because they have been playing a lot of minutes. But I didn't expect us to play like this.
"We made a lot of mistakes and Osasuna did well. Although in the second goal I think there was a foul at the start of the action, I'm not entirely sure because I haven't been able to see it yet, but that's what I've heard.
"To score four goals against us is too much, but I've told the team that we have to keep going. It's a busy schedule and we are on the right track."
Flick was referring to a challenge by Osasuna midfielder Lucas Torro, who stood on Pau Victor's foot, in the build-up to Zaragoza scoring their second goal in the 28th minute.
The goal was given as neither the referee nor the VAR saw an infringement.
"For me it is a clear foul," a visibly frustrated Pedri told Movistar Plus.
Pedri also shrugged off the suggestion Flick's changes were the cause of Barca's issues.
He added: "It's normal to make rotations, there are a lot of matches. It's no excuse. We had to go out with 11 players and the score at half-time penalised us.
"The first half we were not good. We didn't come out to the game well. In the second half we deserved a bit more, but goals came when we were at our best.
"We had to go for the game. We had to go for everything and on the counter-attack they hurt us."
South Africa captain Siya Kolisi was delighted with the character of his side as they defeated Argentina 48-7 to win the Rugby Championship title on Saturday.
In a role reversal last week, the Pumas denied Kolisi’s team the chance to win the title with a game to spare, pipping them to the post in a thrilling 29-28 win.
But the Springboks channelled the frustration from that near miss into a crushing win against the same opponents, and a first title in the competition since 2019.
Kolisi said: “I am lost for words but it has been a journey and a half, after last week, the way we stood up today says a lot about our team.”
The Springboks captain was also full of praise for his opponents, stating they will only improve in the coming years and that both sides share similarities.
He told Sky Sports: “Argentina are a side you cannot look over, how hard they work and what they did to us last week - they are a proud nation, similar to South Africa, the way they use the ball like we do. They will only get better and better."
Kolisi also reserved special praise for lock and long-time friend Eben Etzebeth, who became the most capped Springbok of all-time.
"I want to say to my best friend Eben that I am so grateful to be on this journey with you," Kolisi said.
"We have been together since we were 18 and you've been a true friend and you have led us in so many ways, the way you play the game.
"I am so proud of you and pleased to be your friend. I can't wait to tell my grandkids I played with Eben Etzebeth. Cheers, my friend, I love you!"
Having brought up that milestone, Etzebeth stated his desire to continue with the national team for as long as possible.
He said: “Rugby is like a religion in our country, to play for the Boks is the ultimate. You cannot go any better than that and I don't want to, it's the best team.
"Hopefully I stay fit and the coaches keep picking me. I will try my best."
Pumas captain Julian Montoya, meanwhile, was upfront about his side’s poor performance.
Montoya said: “Credit to South Africa, we were not good enough, they were the better team today.
“Of course I am pleased with what we have done, but you are only as good as your last game, and we were not good enough today. We have to get better."
West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui was pleased with his side’s character as they overcame a poor start to draw 1-1 away to Brentford.
Lopetegui’s side were coming off the back of a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in their last league game and a 5-1 EFL Cup thrashing at Liverpool in midweek.
Bryan Mbuemo’s goal a minute into the encounter could have spelled the worst for the Hammers, but they recovered well and got back on level terms early in the second half through midfielder Tomas Soucek.
Lopetegui now has something to build upon as his side face a vital match at home to Ipswich Town before the next international break, and their overall performance pleased the Spaniard.
He told BBC Sport: “We showed this [Brentford's record of scoring early] to the players and it's incredible we suffered. It's a bad picture to concede so early.
"We kept calm and I think we deserved to win the match in the second half, we showed character and commitment.
"We had three or four very clear situations to score a second goal but we didn't manage it and we take a point. I have to keep positive.
"We always have to work as a team or we are weaker - I think we did this in the second half."
Brentford manager Thomas Frank was content with a point despite again taking the lead early on, as he continues to deal with injuries in the squad.
“It’s a good point,” said Frank. “I'm always disappointed if we don't get three. We were the better team for 75 minutes.
"West Ham outpowered us for 15 minutes at the start of the second half. If you take into consideration that we have nine first team players out, we had nothing to shoot with.
"What I liked from my team was the mentality. We kept going forward."
Frank could not explain the reason for Brentford netting in the opening minute of three straight games, but he feels it speaks to one of the main principles of his side.
“I can't tell you [the secret]. It must be a world record, three games in a row under 40 seconds - it's unbelievable," he added.
"We had a plan again, it's a mindset of playing forward and trying to get on the game straight away. I'm very pleased with that."
Pep Guardiola was pleased with the performance of his midfielders in the 1-1 draw with Newcastle United, but knows he must find solutions in Rodri's absence.
Rodri ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal last week and his unavailability proved costly last season, with City losing three of the four league matches in which he did not feature.
Of the 50 matches Rodri played in all competitions for City last term, Guardiola's side won 38 and only lost once, but they lost four of the nine games he missed.
Rico Lewis and Mateo Kovacic formed City's central pairing against Newcastle on Saturday and Guardiola believes he has the quality in his ranks to plug the gap.
"I know you are going to ask me all the time, but he [Rodri] is not there," said Guardiola, who was also without the injured Kevin De Bruyne at St James' Park.
"Kovacic, Bernardo [Silva], Rico did well, but I have to find solutions. I would love Rodri to be here.
"I see my team and recognise them perfectly. We had chances to score and in midfield we were strong. The issue was balls in behind.
"But sometimes it happens and you have to adapt. We had chances to score, but this is their stadium and they had chances to score, so I'm happy (with a point)."
City failed to score multiple goals in a Premier League match for the first time in 15 games.
Despite dropping points in the league for the second successive match, and having seen City also take the lead through Josko Gvardiol, Guardiola was content with a point against a much-improved Newcastle.
He said: "Sometimes it happens and you have to adapt. We had chances to score, but this is their stadium and they had chances to score, so I'm happy."
Australia coach Joe Schmidt is determined to build on a disappointing Rugby Championship after being "frustrated" by their 33-13 defeat to New Zealand.
The Wallabies made a strong start on Saturday but found themselves trailing at the break after a topsy-turvy first half, and failed to get a single point on the board in the second as the All Blacks stretched their lead.
It was their ninth consecutive loss to New Zealand, who also beat them 31-28 in round five, and they have now won only one of their last six Test matches, losing the other five after making an unbeaten start under Schmidt.
Australia finished last in the four-nation tournament, with Schmidt rueing some of their missed chances after they slumped in the second half.
"I thought we created a few things early but what we had a lot of frustration [about] in that first half was slow ball," said Schmidt on Stan Sport.
"We were digging the ball out from amongst bodies on our side and that was really frustrating because it broke our rhythm.
"We started really strongly, got that try and then missed a couple of chances. They connect so well back off the sideline a couple of times, running back laterally and then connecting up with square runners.
"But just talking to Scott Barrett there, we made them work for it, and we're going to keep working for ourselves and make sure opponents do have to work for anything they get, and we try to get a little bit more."
Australia's tour in November, which includes Tests against England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, the nations that contribute players to the Lions, is next up, and Schmidt is looking forward to their next challenge.
"It's a bit like when we come up against the All Blacks, you know it's going to be a really tough tour.
"But if we can keep building through that tour, then I think we put ourselves in a position of potentially being competitive next July [against the Lions]."
Meanwhile, New Zealand's victory was their first in Wellington since June 2018, ending a five-game winless run in the capital.
They made a slow start to the game before rallying to a dominant comeback win, but captain Scott Barrett was just happy to triumph in Wellington.
"Really pleased to reverse the curse," All Blacks skipper Scott Barrett said.
"We didn't start too well, but I'm really pleased with how we finished: some grit in defence, and we held out the Aussies."
Andoni Iraola believes it is critical that Bournemouth win points in all games against non-European opposition if they are to improve on last season's 12th-place finish.
Iraola guided Bournemouth to their highest-ever Premier League points total (48) last campaign but has overseen an underwhelming start to this season.
Bournemouth lost 3-0 to Liverpool last weekend, to add to defeats against Chelsea and West Ham. Their only win so far came away at Everton, with a spectacular 3-2 comeback, after trailing 2-0 as late as the 87th minute.
Though Iraola will be watching on from the stands as he serves a touchline ban, he stressed the importance of beating sides like Southampton if the Cherries are to go better than last season.
"It is a derby – a game that everybody always wants to win. Considering the standings, I think it's a very important game for us," the Bournemouth manager told the media.
"Every game we play against a non-European team is definitive. Every time you play, you have to take the most you can.
"It looks like an exciting game. It will be a demanding one, but I think we are training well and ready for it. I'm sure they will be a good team. I don't see weak teams in the Premier League."
Southampton remain in search of their first win of the season, after a rocky start to their first season back in the league.
Russell Martin’s side picked up their first point of the season at home to Ipswich Town but were unlucky to miss out on all three after being pegged back by a last-minute equaliser from Sam Morsy.
Martin hopes his side can take inspiration from their upcoming opponents as they look to kickstart their league campaign and move out of the relegation places.
"Iraola has done a brilliant job, but it took him some time, in the same way it has taken us a bit of time to adapt and adjust. They had a bumpy start under Andoni but they've been brilliant ever since and they've kept building on it," he said.
"We're learning more about what's required at this level. I hope, in the five games we've had, they have enough to know that to feel fear of the Premier League.
"You have to embrace it and really seize the opportunity we have. I feel more and more that they are doing that and the results will follow."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bournemouth – Antoine Semenyo
Semenyo has the highest goal contributions in the Bournemouth squad so far this season with two goals and one assist to his name.
In the loss at Anfield last week, Semenyo had the joint-highest expected goals total (0.35) among his teammates, equal with Luis Sinisterra. It was also the joint third-highest total across both sides.
He also got the joint most shots away in the match (four), level with Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz.
Southampton – Tyler Dibling
Dibling became Southampton's fourth-youngest Premier League goalscorer when he netted against Ipswich Town at just 18 years and 217 days old.
The youngster has also created five chances for Southampton this season, the third-highest in the squad, despite having only played 205 minutes.
Martin said Dibling's "ceiling is so high", adding: At this moment he couldn't play for every team, he suits the way we play a lot, and he's getting so much better at the stuff he needs to improve on."
MATCH PREDICTION: BOURNEMOUTH WIN
Southampton have found it difficult on their travels of late. They will be looking to reverse a nine-match Premier League away winless streak (W0, D2, L7), having not won on the road in the top flight since February 2023 against Chelsea.
If there is one opponent to do it against though, it could be their south coast rivals. Bournemouth are winless in their last five against Southampton at the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League (D2 L3).
But even that may prove too tough of a challenge. Southampton have picked up just one point in their opening five Premier League matches in 2024-25, their fewest at this stage of a league season since 1998-99, when they had no points after five games.
Southampton also remain winless in their last 18 Premier League matches (D5 L13), since a 1-0 win over Leicester City in March 2023. The last side to have a longer winless run were Norwich City between March 2020 and October 2021 (20 games).
Bournemouth can feel more hopeful about their recent form. Despite suffering a 3-0 defeat at Liverpool last time out, they had 19 shots. That was the joint most by an away team in a Premier League game at Anfield on record since 2003-04.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Bournemouth – 56.7%
Draw – 21.7%
Southampton – 21.6%
Travis d’Arnaud hit a walk-off homer in the ninth inning and the Atlanta Braves kept up their postseason push with a 2-1 win over the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.
Reynaldo López came off the injured list to throw six strong innings for the Braves, who moved one game ahead of the New York Mets and Arizona for the final two wild-card spots in the National League.
After an injury-plagued season, the Braves can clinch their seventh straight playoff appearance on Sunday with a sweep of the Royals paired with another loss by the Diamondbacks.
D'Arnaud ended it with one swing in the ninth, launching a 2-0 pitch from Sam Long over the center-field wall for his 15th homer this season.
López pitched for the first time since Sept. 10, when he lasted only one inning at Washington before coming out with shoulder discomfort. An MRI showed no structural damage, but the Braves placed him on the 15-day disabled list in the heat of playoff race to make sure things didn't get worse.
López looked as good as ever in his return, allowing only two singles while striking out nine. After fanning Adam Frazier with the last of his 73 pitches, he pounded his glove in satisfaction walking off the mound, having lowered his ERA in a dazzling season to an even 2.00.
Sixteen-game winner Seth Lugo pitched two scoreless innings for Kansas City, limited to 36 pitches in what was essentially a tune-up for the Wild Card Series that begins Tuesday.
Mets shut down by Brewers
Joey Ortiz drove in three runs for Milwaukee and the New York Mets mustered just two hits as their playoff hopes sustained another blow with a 6-0 loss to the Brewers.
New York (87-72) lost its third straight and fell one game behind Atlanta (88-71) in the NL wild card race when the Braves beat Kansas City 2-1 on a ninth-inning, walk-off homer from former Met Travis d'Arnaud.
The Mets did get some help when San Diego beat Arizona 5-0. The Braves, Mets and Diamondbacks (88-73) are competing for the NL's final two wild-card playoff berths.
Both the Mets and Braves have head-to-head tiebreaker advantages over the Diamondbacks. The Mets and Braves would play a Monday doubleheader in Atlanta if their postseason fates haven’t been settled.
Ortiz put the Brewers ahead 2-0 in the fourth by looping a full-count curveball from Jose Quintana into left-center with a bases-loaded single.
Milwaukee broke open the game in the eighth inning by scoring four runs off Reed Garrett, the first runs he allowed since Aug. 18. The outburst included an RBI single by Willy Adames, a bases-loaded walk by Ortiz and a two-run single by Andruw Monasterio.
Quintana and four relievers combined to strike out 18 - the Mets' highest total this season. But New York was shut out for the first time since Aug. 23 and was held to two hits or fewer for just the fifth time this year.
Jose Iglesias singled in the first inning and Starling Marte hit a ground-rule double in the fifth. The only other time the Mets put a runner on base was when Iglesias drew a one-out walk in the ninth.
Struggling Diamondbacks blanked by Padres
Kyle Higashioka, Brandon Lockridge and Donovan Solano homered in the ninth inning, lifting the San Diego Padres to a 5-0 win over the sliding Arizona Diamondbacks, who continued to lose ground in the National League playoff race.
The Diamondbacks (88-73) have lost five of six as they chase an NL wild card. They’re currently behind the Braves (88-71) and tied with the Mets (87-72), who hold the final two playoff spots.
The game was scoreless heading into the ninth. With one out, David Peralta singled up the middle and then Higashioka cranked a no-doubt, two-run homer deep into the left field stands.
Lockridge followed with his first big league homer, which was also hit to left.
It was a stunning blowup for Diamondbacks left-hander A.J. Puk, who has been the team's most dominant reliever since he was acquired from the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline. He had given up just one run over 27 innings over his 29 outings since coming to Arizona.
Solano added a two-run homer, his fourth hit of the night, later in the ninth off Scott McGough for a 5-0 advantage.
Michel wants to see Girona turn in more performances of the level they showed against Rayo Vallecano in midweek, despite the fact they drew that game 0-0.
Winless in four consecutive games in all competitions, last season's surprise LaLiga challengers Girona dominated proceedings on Wednesday with 70% possession, accumulating 2.0 expected goals (xG).
Having gone toe-to-toe with giants Real Madrid and Barcelona for much of last campaign before eventually finishing third, Girona now sit 12th in the LaLiga standings on eight points from seven matches.
They face Celta Vigo on Sunday, and ahead of that match, Michel said: "We shouldn't compare ourselves to last year because we are a different team.
"I really liked the team against Rayo, and if we had that level and continuity before against Valencia (a 2-0 loss) and Barcelona (a 4-1 defeat), I would be very happy.
"Rayo didn't score against us, they were defending the whole game and that's not easy to achieve. I'm convinced that we need to give continuity to the idea we had the other day, only then will we be close to winning more games."
Girona sold LaLiga's top scorer from last season, Artem Dovbyk, to Roma over the summer, but Michel is not concerned by a lack of goalscoring prowess from his side.
"We have the capacity to finish more plays and we have to find the timing to do it now. This is our concern and the training sessions are going in that direction," he added.
The Spaniard was full of praise for Celta, who are 10th in LaLiga with one more point than Girona.
"They have started the league well," Michel said. "They are the best team in terms of ball circulation, and they do things very well.
"They are a team that hurts you with the ball and that's why we have to impose our game, make good possessions and arrive well in the opponent's half and in the opponent's goal."
With opportunities at certain levels of motorsport only coming far and few in between, Zane Maloney could not pass up the chance to participate in Formula E.
As such, the Barbados racing sensation made the decision to cut short his Formula 2 campaign after securing a seat to represent team Lola Yamaha ABT in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
The event, is an open-wheel single-seater motorsport championship for electric cars. The racing series is the highest class of competition for electrically powered single-seater racing cars.
Though he currently occupies third position in the F2 drivers’ championship with two rounds remaining, Maloney, who recently inked a deal with Lola, is well aware of the significance of the Formula E opportunity presented to him and, as such, is eager to make the most of it at the expense of his F2 ambitions.
“In one way, I wanted to win Formula 2 this year. I wanted to give myself the best chance to do that, but I live my life by the day and I understand the opportunity that I have for next year, and when I think about that opportunity, everything in the present moment kind of gets forgotten about to some extent,” the 20-year-old said.
“So, of course, I know that coming to Formula E is a big opportunity for me and something amazing to show my skills in a world championship. I don’t really focus too much on the negative side of certain things. I try to focus on the positives, and I only see a positive thing coming into next year,” he added.
Maloney, who won the opening two races of the Formula 2 season, believes Formula E has gained traction as a top-notch championship, which made his decision a no-brainer.
“In F1, IndyCar, Formula E, and WEC as well, there’s not many seats that become available every year. There are a lot more drivers than there are seats, which makes it very difficult, and I think Formula E has always been a series that has amazing drivers, amazing manufacturers, and amazing teams. And of course, the media sees different motorsport genres a bit differently,” Maloney explained.
“But within the group of motorsports, Formula E is very well recognized, and every driver that goes into it knows how difficult it is to perform, so from that side of things, I don’t really focus too much on anything other than driving a race car as fast as I can with the opportunity that I’m given,” he noted.
Brendan Rodgers paid tribute to Celtic's "Champions League mentality" in their 6-0 rout of St. Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.
Kyogo Furuhashi scored twice, while Paulo Bernardo, Callum McGregor, Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah were also on target for the Hoops, who warmed up for their midweek European trip to Borussia Dortmund in emphatic fashion.
The dominant victory moved Celtic back to the top of the Scottish Premiership table - ahead of Aberdeen on goal difference - as they continued their perfect start to the season, with a sixth win in as many games.
And Rodgers was pleased by the character his players demonstrated.
"I thought this was an opportunity to show our mentality," he told Premier Sports. "All the noise has been about Dortmund, but I wanted a Champions League mentality here, and I thought the boys controlled the game.
"We wanted to keep our rhythm going. You see some of the guys coming in this evening, like Valle coming in at left-back, showing his composure.
"Most were looking at it as a tick-box before Dortmund, but for me, it was to show their mentality. Everyone will be flying on Tuesday night, but I want to see how they do when they’re here, or other grounds. It’s a case of just focusing in on that.
"I thought the variety of our game was very good; everything you'd want from your team."
Looking ahead to Tuesday's clash with Bundesliga giants Dortmund, he added: "[They] are a good team with top players, so we can't get away from that.
"OK, they've lost one or two [players] from last year, but I always say we make sure we press, make sure we attack. It's a tough game, but we'll look forward to it."
The Miami Dolphins will start with Tyler Huntley at quarterback when they face the Tennessee Titans on Monday, with Tua Tagovailoa out and Skylar Thompson only fit enough to be an emergency backup.
Miami were forced to place Tagovailoa on injured reserve when he suffered a concussion – his third in the last two years – against the Buffalo Bills in Week 2.
Thompson replaced Tagovailoa for their Week 3 loss at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks, but he was forced out of that game after sustaining a rib injury.
The Dolphins moved to address their QB crisis by signing Huntley from the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad last week, and he will start on Monday with Tim Boyle their primary backup.
"I think one thing that was supremely obvious to the team since he got here and even more so this practice week, is Snoop [Huntley] has started multiple big games," head coach Mike McDaniel said on Saturday.
"His understanding as a quarterback, of what is required to win over team-mates and take the place of somebody else and assert their own personality, their own skill set, their own traits within the offense and lead people...
"We've been very high on Snoop. His maturation has been expedited by him and he's done an excellent job assimilating into the locker room."
Huntley, who has started nine games in four years and thrown for 1,957 yards and eight touchdowns, is confident he will not need much time to adapt.
"It's like riding a bike. The first time, you're a little iffy, you didn't know how to pedal," Huntley said.
"Then you just start putting it all together, pedalling, going in a straight line, then after a while, you're going to start standing up."
Barcelona suffered their first LaLiga defeat of the season after going down 4-2 against Osasuna at Estadio El Sadar.
Ante Budimir scored twice, while Bryan Zaragoza and substitute Abel Bretones were also on target for the hosts, who claimed their first league win over the Blaugrana in nine attempts.
Osasuna were unbeaten in their six previous home league games and took an 18th-minute lead when Budimir nodded home from Zaragoza's cross.
The latter, who is on loan from Bayern Munich, doubled the advantage 10 minutes later when he rounded off a swift counter.
Pau Victor halved the deficit eight minutes after the restart, but Budimir's 72nd-minute penalty put the hosts back in control, before Bretones made it 4-1 with seven minutes remaining.
Lamine Yamal climbed off the bench to reduce Barca's arrears, but it was a consolation for Hansi Flick's side, who dropped their first points this term.
Data Debrief: Flick misses out on matching Martino
Flick was aiming to become only the second Barca manager after Gerardo Martino in 2013-14 to oversee eight straight victories at the start of a LaLiga season.
However, he and the visitors were denied by their inspired hosts, who have now recorded four successive home league wins for the first time since September 2011.
Xabi Alonso was proud of his Bayer Leverkusen players after they produced a resolute defensive performance to earn a 1-1 Bundesliga draw at Bayern Munich.
After Robert Andrich gave Leverkusen the lead, Bayern's Aleksandar Pavlovic levelled with a stunning half-volley from 25 yards out which gave goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky no chance.
Bayern, who had won all four of their previous league games under Vincent Kompany, had 18 shots to Leverkusen's three and almost 70% of the possession.
That is the fewest shots Leverkusen have attempted in any of their 98 competitive matches under Alonso, while they also generated just 0.07 expected goals (xG) to Bayern's 1.32.
Despite their lack of attacking threat, Alonso was delighted with his side's defensive resilience, saying: "The energy and belief at Bayern is different to last season, they are going full throttle with and against the ball.
"That was very tough today. We can be happy with the point. I needed more energy from the team.
"I'm happy with that. We were ready to suffer and we did that. We need the discipline and passion of the players.
"It wasn't easy, we didn't have control of the ball. It was a challenge to defend. The point is important... The whole team did very well. We hardly had a chance to breathe but I'm very proud of my players."
Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka, who provided the assist for the opener, said their main strategy was to be compact and deny Bayern opportunities to score.
"We are self-critical. If you score three goals every game, that's not enough. If we play well today and switch gears, we can do something," Xhaka said.
"Defensively, we put in a good performance. The goal today was to be compact and concede little. You can certainly do more with the ball and everyone knows that we can do more. If someone had told us before the game that we would get a point, we would have taken it."
Leverkusen will next turn their attention to the Champions League, when they host AC Milan on Tuesday.
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