Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen on brink of first Bundesliga title
The 2023-24 season is turning out to be the one to remember for ages for Bayer Leverkusen. Xabi Alonso’s and his men are on the verge to lift the maiden Bundesliga title. An unbeaten run of 40 matches in all competitions has been the main reason behind reason behind all this. Yes, 40-match undefeated streak.
Bayer Leverkusen are not only in the hunt for the Bundesliga. Die Werkself could also end up winning a double or a treble. Recently, Alonso’s team reached the final of the DFB Pokal after a 4-0 win over Dusseldorf. They will face second division strugglers 1. FC Kaiserslautern at the Olympiastadion on 25 May 2024.
In recent matches, Leverkusen have proved why that why they deserve to win a treble. Two goals in injury & stoppages time against Qarabag FK in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Europa League earned them a spot in the next round. Leverkusen play English club West Ham United in the last eight. The Hammer won the UEFA Europa Conference League last season and will be tricky opponents for Xabi’s team.
Leverkusen have won some incredible matches against the likes of Bayern Munich and others. Young talents like Florian Wirtz have taken the responsibility and are delivering performances regularly.
This season, Die Werkself have won 23 matches in the Bundesliga. In the DFB Pokal, the team won five matches to reach the final. Leverkusen reached the last 16 of the Europa League with six wins in six. This was followed by a draw in the first leg and a win in the second leg.
Bayer Leverkusen impressive Bundesliga record against top-5
Bayer Leverkusen have a massive 13-point lead over Bayern Munich after 27 rounds of matches. Stuttgart are third (16-point behind), followed by Borussia Dortmund (20-point behind), and RB Leipzig (23-point behind).
Against the top five teams, Leverkusen have collected 12 points. Borussia Dortmund, Stuttgart, Bayern Munich and Borussia Monchengladbach (outside top-5) are the only teams to stop Leverkusen from taking maximum points in the league. Xabi is yet to taste victory over Dortmund and Stuttgart in the league.
A famous 3-0 thrashing of the defending champions has been one of the biggest defining moments of the season.
Key players
Florian Wirtz: The 20-year-old German is highly rated in football. His 13 goals and 18 assists in 38 games clearly shows why top European clubs have shown their interest.
Alejandro Grimaldo: Alex Grimaldo is a former Barcelona academy graduate who came to Germany from Portuguese giants, Benfica. The four-time Liga Portugal champion is in the form of his lifetime. With 11 goals and 14 assists in 39 games, Grimaldo is one of the best in the business at the moment.
Patrick Schick: Leverkusen’s super-sub has won many games from his 11 goals. In 22 matches played, Schick has only started 12 times. He averages 0.5 goals per 90 minutes in both German competitions. In Europe, the Czech striker averages 2.9 goals per 90 minutes. He has scored five times.
Bayer Leverkusen will aim to end the season unbeaten. It won’t be easy with the pressure these players will have on their shoulders. However, they have a chance to make history and winning trophies will be their biggest achievement.
Keywords: Bayer Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso, unbeaten streak, Florian Wirtz, Alejandro Grimaldo
Pic Credits: Bayer 04 Leverkusen / X
