With five games remaining, Bayer Leverkusen defeated Werder Bremen 5-0 to clinch the Bundesliga title and claim their first-ever title.
After breaking Bayern Munich’s German record of 32 games without a loss in all competitions in February, Alonso’s club is still undefeated in all competitions this season. Currently, the run total across all contests is 43.
“It feels fantastic. After the game, Alonso said, “I feel like this isn’t just for us—this is for so many people who have been chasing this dream for so many years.” Former coaches are involved as well. When anything is done for the first time, it is really exceptional, and this title is perhaps the hardest.”
Victor Boniface’s penalty kick gave Leverkusen the lead in the 25th minute, and Granit Xhaka’s long-range goal in the second half gave the team even more confidence in front of the boisterous BayArena crowd.
In the 68th minute, Florian Wirtz put the finishing touches on a fantastic goal that gave Werder Bremen goalkeeper Michael Zetterer very little opportunity to save it. With a few minutes left, Wirtz scored once again, sending several supporters running onto the field. The supporters were asked to leave the turf by Wirtz and the other players, and the remainder of the game was played in the pyrotechnic haze.
More fans started running out of the seats as Wirtz completed his hat trick, leading the referee to sound the full-time whistle and setting off scenes of pure joy among the players, supporters, and staff. This caused even further interruption.
With Stuttgart and the Bavarian giants both 16 points behind, the outcome means that Bayern’s run of 11 straight Bundesliga championships has ended.
This completes Leverkusen’s amazing metamorphosis since Alonso became head coach in October 2022. After eight rounds of the previous season, the team was in second position; nevertheless, the former Spain international helped them to sixth place.
This season, they continued to build on that momentum with to the additions of Boniface, Xhaka, Jonas Hofmann, and Alejandro Grimaldo, who all settled in well and played significant roles in the team’s championship victory.
Alonso said, “All of them, the 25 players of the squad,” when asked who should get the credit. They understand that you have to push them. They are aware that they are a part of something unique. We have a capable group. When we switch players, they do well. That’s one of this team’s accomplishments. Every participant thought they mattered.”
With the trophy, Leverkusen can finally shed the unwelcome “Neverkusen” label that has followed them about as Germany’s consistent runners-up. Their latest trophy victory was in 1993. They have three more league second-place finishes than any other club in the country, having done so five times. This season was the first that they had won the title.
The team notoriously finished the 2002 season without a trophy after losing the German Cup and Champions League finals and giving up a five-point Bundesliga lead in the last three rounds of play.
But a 3-0 victory against Bayern in February of this season helped allay worries of a similar collapse and showed that this Leverkusen club was capable of overcoming those past worries.
Despite growing rumors that Alonso would be joining Bayern, who are parting ways with Thomas Tuchel at the conclusion of the season, and Liverpool, whose manager Jurgen Klopp is departing after almost nine years in charge, Alonso said in March that he would stay as the team’s head coach for the next campaign.
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