Bayer Leverkusen Win First Bundesliga Title, Ending Bayern’s Run Of 11 Consecutive Titles
Bayer 04 Leverkusen clinched their maiden Bundesliga title with a dominant 5-0 victory over Werder Bremen on Sunday, breaking Bayern Munich’s 11-year grip on the league.
Guided by legendary figure Xabi Alonso, who made his mark at Liverpool and Real Madrid as a midfield anchorman, Bayer Leverkusen has set a new league record by remaining unbeaten in 29 consecutive matches this season.
The triumph marks Bayer Leverkusen’s first major trophy since 1993, as they established a commanding 16-point lead over Bayern with just five matches left.
The season remains full of promise for Leverkusen, with two more potential trophies within reach. They’ve secured a spot in the German Cup (DFB Pokal) final and hold a 2-0 advantage in the Europa League quarterfinals against West Ham United.
Bayer Leverkusen are unbeaten in 43 games across all competitions this season.
Germany international Florian Wirtz, who scored a hat trick in the 5-0 win over Werder Bremen, was quoted by Al Jazeera as saying:
I cannot describe this. I personally can still not realise this has happened. I will need a few moments in the changing room to understand what we have achieved.
We could not have imagined something like this when you saw how the previous season went.
Alonso, who assumed the role of coach for Leverkusen when they were languishing in the relegation zone back in October 2022, said:
Perhaps it’s healthy for the Bundesliga, also for German football, for another team to win. It’s a great joy and we have to enjoy it.
We need a bit more time to realise what we’ve achieved. But it’s a super moment and yes, we’ll see what happens next. But now is the time to celebrate.
Fans stormed onto the field when Leverkusen scored its fourth goal with seven minutes to go. The final minutes were played in thick red smoke from supporters’ pyrotechnics while players on Leverkusen’s bench clapped along to songs, danced and hugged one another.
The fifth goal in the 90th minute brought more fans onto the field and the referee ended the game amid confusion and jubilation.
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