Germany: Bayer Leverkusen are Bundesliga champions

-

Bayer Leverkusen 5 - 0 Werder Bremen

Undefeated Bayer Leverkusen clinched their inaugural Bundesliga championship on Sunday with a resounding 5-0 triumph over Werder Bremen, ending Bayern Munich's 11-year dominance of the league.

Leverkusen champions

Under the leadership of Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen, who have amassed an unprecedented 29-match unbeaten streak this season, secured their first title since 1993. They currently hold a commanding 16-point lead over Bayern with just five matches left in the season.

Leverkusen left nothing to chance, securing the title in their first opportunity, with Florian Wirtz netting a hat-trick in a victory that extended their unbeaten streak across all competitions to an impressive 43 games this season.

They earned a penalty in the 24th minute, which Victor Boniface, returning from a three-month injury hiatus, converted, marking his first league goal since December and his 11th of the campaign.

More news from across Germany

Despite numerous opportunities to increase their lead in a dominant first half, including Amine Adli hitting the woodwork, Leverkusen maintained their focus.

Werder Bremen did emerge with some renewed vigour after halftime, attempting to disrupt Leverkusen's celebrations, but Granit Xhaka's strike from 25 meters out in the 60th minute ignited jubilant scenes among the home supporters.

Leverkusen continued their assault, with substitute Wirtz adding another goal eight minutes later. The German international secured his brace in the 83rd minute, prompting eager fans to briefly invade the pitch. He completed his hat trick in the 90th minute, sealing his team's outstanding performance and securing the title emphatically.

How Alonso created this new mentality

Xabi Alonso became the manager of Bayer Leverkusen on October 5, 2022, when the team was near the bottom of the Bundesliga. This was the second worst start to a season for Bayer Leverkusen since 1979. Before joining Leverkusen one and a half years ago, Xabi had never managed a senior team. He had previously worked with Real Sociedad B.

For this match in particular, they were prepared. Unlike Borussia Dortmund, who faced heartbreak on the final day of last season when their opportunity to overthrow Bayern Munich slipped away, they remained calm and composed. 

Both on and off the field, this season has been a masterclass in how to operate as a well-oiled machine. High-quality recruitment and coaching have combined to create an ideal environment for these players to reach the pinnacle of their abilities.

Explore how Leverkusen won the Bundesliga by clicking here

This is what it meant - some of the best social media reaction

News Ball posted on Facebook: "It is great to see another team challenging Bayern Munich for trophies after their long period of dominance. Everyone at Leverkusen deserves this success, and it would be one of the greatest achievements if they were to win three trophies without losing any matches.

"During this match, there was a total calm among these players throughout. They looked like the best team in Germany. Their recent performance against West Ham United in the Europa League proved that they can compete in multiple competitions."

More Leverkusen news and stories

What else are people saying?

William, a Liverpool fan, told us: "Congratulations on ending Bayern's dominance in German football. Hopefully, the team will retain their star players and not sell them to other clubs straight away. Well done to Alonso for staying on as a manager after being a class act as a player."

Andy is a Bayern Munich fan, he added: "This is just a temporary setback. Bayern will come back strong. Remember when another team in Dortmund provoked us and won two league titles in a row? We responded by winning the next 11 seasons. The same will happen again."

Location: 51 Leverkusen, Germany

Popular posts from this blog

Sliding Doors Moments: What if Scholes wasn’t offside?

-
Image
It's time to for another sliding doors moment in football  We travel back to 2004. Manchester United face Porto in the last-16 of the Champions League.  Author - Liam C What actually happened? A ontroversial offside call against Paul Scholes became a pivotal moment in European football history. The disallowed goal cost United a place in the quarter-finals, while Porto, managed by the up and coming manager José Mourinho, went on to win the competition and launch Mourinho into the managerial elite. But what if Scholes hadn’t been ruled offside? How might this alternative scenario have changed the landscape of world and European football? Scholes wasn’t offside: United progress Had the linesman not flagged Scholes for offside, Manchester United would have progressed to the next round of the Champions League. Scholes' goal was legitimate, and had it stood, United would have won the tie on aggregate, knocking out Porto and ending their European dreams. With the Red Devils moving
Read more

PL News: Ten Hag sacked by Man United

-
Image
There has been a managerial change at Old Trafford. Manchester United have sacked manager Erik ten Hag due to the club's disappointing start to the season. Author - Olivia T Ten Hag's last match ended in a 2-1 defeat against West Ham , leaving the club in 14th place in the Premier League with only three wins from their first nine matches. The Red Devils are also 21st of 36 teams in the Europa League league stage, having drawn their three opening matches. Club sources from the club have reportedly suggested that this was a difficult decision but a unanimous one among all the key decision makers.  The club exercised a one-year extension in Ten Hag's contract after their FA Cup final win against Manchester City in May . However, just over three months later, he has been dismissed. United currently sit on 11 points after nine games, marking their second-lowest tally in the Premier League at this stage (only slightly better than the 10 points they had in the 2019-20 season)
Read more

Scotland: Kilmarnock stun Rangers with late winner

-
Image
Kilmarnock 1 - 0 Rangers Rangers remain six points behind the Premiership leaders after suffering a late defeat against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. Author - Mark Lee In a lacklustre match, Rangers wasted several opportunities to secure three points. A combination of poor finishing and solid defending from Kilmarnock made it another frustrating afternoon for the Belgian manager. As the game was heading for a draw, David Watson's lob found Marley Watkins, who beat the offside trap and bundled the ball past Jack Butland. The Gers need to regroup quickly ahead of their Europa League match against FCSB on Thursday. Meanwhile, Derek McInnes' team has now moved to seventh place and are just outside the top six on goal difference. A closer look at how Kilmarnock stunned this Rangers side Home form has traditionally been a strength for Kilmarnock , but they had recorded five draws and one defeat in all competitions on their own pitch leading up to this game. ⚽️ Goal of the day: Mar
Read more