Bayer Finally On Top - Neverkusen No More

When the current German Bundesliga started in August last year, it seemed certain that Bayern Munich would retain the Mesterschale again for a record-extending twelfth time. Bayern Munich is the most successful team in German football and has dominated the Bundesliga for a decade. Despite their poor finish last season, they still managed to win the Bundesliga thanks to a capitulation from their title rivals Borussia Dortmund on the last day of the season, drawing 2-2 at home to Mainz and losing the title on goal difference. Dortmund fans were distraught and tearful as a rare chance to win the title over Bayern fell out of their grasp. Others thought about what must done to topple the Bayern machine, who signed England striker Harry Kane in the summer window for a club-record fee.

Now, the Bundesliga will have a new champion for the first time since Borussia Dortmund in 2012, and they achieved this in record-breaking fashion. Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Led by former World Cup winner Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen has crushed the competition in the German top-flight, making Bayern look average in comparison. In his first job as a manager, Alonso has wowed the football world that Bayern and Liverpool enquired about his services. The Spaniard has committed to Leverkusen for the foreseeable future as he will be leading Leverkusen to the Champions League as German Champions. Having one of the best defences in all of Europe plus an attack that has scored a century of goals in all competitions, Leverkusen have been the complete package and they are still in the mix to win the UEFA Europa League and the DFB-Pokal, a potential treble of trophies. A storied season for Leverkusen despite their reputation in Germany.

BRIEF HISTORY & 'NEVERKUSEN' TAG

Leverkusen are one of the most well-known football clubs in Germany, having been founded in 1904. Unlike many German teams, Leverkusen was founded by workers of the German Pharmaceutical company Bayer AG, whose headquarters is in Leverkusen and where the club draws its name. They are one of the few clubs in the Bundesliga to be exempted from the 50+1 rule, a clause that club members retain a majority ownership stake. They were in the lower divisions of German football for the majority of their history until gaining promotion to the Bundesliga in 1979, where they have remained ever since. Unlike Bayern, Dortmund, Werder Bremen, Stuttgart and Hamburg, Leverkusen don't have the success of silverware that they have. They have only won two titles in their history, the UEFA Cup in 1988 and the DFB-Pokal in 1993.

The popularity grew in the 1990s, following German reunification, and signing World Cup winner Rudi Voller. They were one of the first clubs in Germany to bring in Brazilian talent, signing Jorginho (Not the Arsenal one) and Paulo Sergio. The late 1990s and early 2000s saw Leverkusen challenged for the title on multiple occasions and fell short. The 2001/02 season was the most heartbreaking in Leverkusen. With Michael Ballack, Lucio, Ze Roberto and Dimitar Berbatov in their ranks, Leverkusen missed out on the Bundesliga by a point to Dortmund, lost 4-2 in the DFB-Pokal Final to Schalke and lost 2-1 to Real Madrid in the Champions League Final. This gave rise to the tag Leverkusen is renowned for, 'Neverkusen'. As they always fail to deliver success. 

RECENT HISTORY & ALONSO

Since 2002, Leverkusen become a side that constantly qualified for European football. In 2011, they finished second again with a retiring Ballack, Arturo Vidal and Stefan Kiessling. Many players since then have made their name at the BayArena. Lars Bender, Andre Schurrle, Bernd Leno, Dani Carvajal, Son Heung-Min, Julian Brandt and Kai Havertz. In October 2022, Leverkusen sacked Gerardo Seoane following a terrible start to the season, sitting in the relegation zone and being knocked out early in the Pokal. They made the risky decision to appoint Xabi Alonso, who was the coach of the B team of Real Sociedad and had no top-flight experience as a manager. After a slow start, Alonso won over the Leverkusen fans, and they finished the season well. Finishing sixth, qualifying for the Europa League and reaching the semifinals of the Europa League.

Significant additions were brought in the summer window. Nathan Tella and Victor Boniface are signings that Leverkusen were renowned for, signing players between the ages of 18 to 23. However, they signed experienced heads in Granit Xhaka, Alex Grimaldo and Jonas Hoffman, who all are 27 years and older. Alonso has set up Leverkusen in a 3-4-2-1 shape. A back three of central defenders with capable ball-playing skills, two wingbacks that provide the width and are expansive. Two combative central midfielders support the defence and the two attacking midfielders behind a physical striker. 

Goalkeeper and captain Lukáš Hrádecký is the man between the sticks, with club stalwart Jonathan Tah the leading man in the back three alongside Edmond Tapsoba and Piero Hincapié or Odilon Kossonou. Leverkusen’s defence has been their foundation for success this season, keeping 14 clean sheets in the Bundesliga and conceded only 19 goals. Only Inter Milan have conceded fewer goals in Europe’s top five leagues this season. Part of why Leverkusen hardly concede chances is their midfield. Granit Xhaka has started the most games for Leverkusen this season and is seen as the voice of the manager on the field. Only three players in the Leverkusen squad have made more tackles and interceptions than the Swiss midfielder, and in possession, Xhaka has made the most passes, passes in the final third and most touches. Outlining his importance when Leverkusen are in possession.

Alex Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong, the two wingbacks, have been sensational and complement each other so well. Grimaldi has created the most shot-creating actions in the Leverkusen and provided the most assists in the Bundesliga with 12. Frimpong has scored eight goals and is an incredible athlete. Having the freedom of the right flank to create or be the end of a chance to score. In attack, there has been a changing cast who have contributed significantly. Victor Boniface was the starting striker before suffering an injury while on international duty. Patrik Schick and Jonas Hoffman also been able contributors but the star attacker is Florian Wirtz. One of the top young players around, the German forward has already made over a century of appearances for Leverkusen despite suffering a lengthy injury in 2022. This season, Wirtz has made a good claim for Player of the Year. Scoring eleven and assisting another ten in 26 starts in the Bundesliga, capping Leverkusen’s confirmation with a first career hat-trick against Werder Bremen. 

 

WHAT’S NEXT?

Leverkusen’s league triumph is one for the history but what could the future hold for them? Despite Bayern having a year below their standards, it is likely those in Munich will react. Strong interest from England and the continent for their players is more or less inevitable. However, with Alonso committing to stay around, it’s unlikely they will suffer the same fate that Monaco and Dortmund did. Alonso himself will know that he still has to test himself as a manager. 

Going far in the Champions League is a potential aim as well as a credible title defence, which could be difficult now that they have a target on their back. Their season is not over just yet. They could potentially win three trophies unbeaten, as they are in the quarterfinals of the Europa League and are one of the favourites for it. Their final game of the season is the Pokal final against second division side FC Kaiserslautern and they will fancy their chances but the Pokal this season has seen many shocks and Leverkusen will hope not to be at the end of the biggest one. Celebrations will continue at the BayArena but the season is not finished as Leverkusen could make an already historic season more historic.