Bayer Leverkusen title. A stylish and entertaining thrashing of Werder Bremen was enough to see them finally get their hands on the crown. Victor Boniface’s 25th-minute penalty, a rocket from former Arsenal star Granit Xhaka and a hat-trick from homegrown starlet Florian Wirtz put the seal on things.
Victory over Werder represented Leverkusen’s 25th of the season in just their 29th game. That is exactly why they are now champions. Alonso’s side have been in sensational form all season and justifiably end the domestic dominance of Bayern Munich .
Long into the night, both fans and players will celebrate Leverkusen’s historic title victory and the team’s release from their past troubles. They had previously finished as runners-up in the Bundesliga five times, with the most recent one occurring in 2011.
The most well-known of their mistakes occurred in the 2001–02 season when, despite being heavy favorites to win the championship, they managed just one victory in their final four games, allowing Bayern Munich to win the trophy by a single point.
The German Cup final saw Schalke upset Leverkusen 3-2, making matters worse for them. And even though they dominated Real Madrid in the Champions League final a few days later, they were defeated 2-1, with Zinedine Zidane‘s legendary inspiration leading the Spanish team to victory.
From a treble contender to a trophy loser. The moniker “Neverkusen” began to catch on at that point. All of that has changed drastically since Alonso broke the club’s curse.
When the lengthy wait was over, he spoke: “This is a very special moment for the club. Winning the Bundesliga for the first time in 120 years is something very special. The players are top. I am very proud of everyone. It is an honour for me to work here.”
Leverkusen’s victory over Bremen was emblematic of the team’s style: exquisite football interspersed with individual genius. The penalty kick that Boniface was given by VAR after Julian Malatin had fouled Jonas Hofmann nearly slipped past Bremen goalkeeper Michael Zetterer’s reach.
It was also Boniface’s 18th goal of the year, marking a fantastic comeback in his first season after joining from Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium. Despite having the chance to improve the afternoon’s comfort level, Hofmann and Amine Adli were unable to make it work. To make sure of things, Xhaka then produced a breathtaking effort from 25 yards out.
Wunderkind Naturally, Florian Wirtz scored a third goal from a distance to really get the party going inside the BayArena. Then he extended his afternoon shift, inadvertently setting off a pitch invasion. On the historic day for his boyhood club, he even had time to seal the matchball.
For the Alonso trailblazers, things might become even better now that the Bundesliga is safe. The Spaniard, who turned down interest from former team Liverpool, has already stated that he intends to remain with the team. With five games left, Alonso may potentially make history as the first player to guide a team to an undefeated Bundesliga season.
The cabinet may also hold two more trophies. Leverkusen will play in the German Cup final after earning a spot there.
Glory in Europe might also be on the agenda. In the Europa League quarterfinal match against West Ham, Alonso’s team leads 2-0.
With that Neverkusen moniker still lingering in the back of their minds, many Leverkusen supporters will urge caution. As it stands, though, they can now finally rejoice since they are now Germany’s rulers. Bayer Leverkusen title
