BAYER LEVERKUSEN'S FIRST TITLE

 A HISTORIC TRIUMPH - BAYER LEVERKUSEN'S FIRST LEAGUE TITLE

In the annals of football history, some victories resonate more deeply than others – and Bayer Leverkusen's maiden Bundesliga triumph is undoubtedly one such moment. After decades of striving, dreaming, and building, the club has etched its name into the Bundesliga record books, emerging as champions for the first time in its storied history.

Imagine a club that has always been on the cusp of greatness, a team with undeniable talent and a history filled with near misses. That's been the narrative for Bayer Leverkusen, a team affectionately known as the "Eternal Bridesmaids" of German football. Year after year, they've shown glimpses of brilliance, yet a Bundesliga title has always seemed just out of reach — until now.

The club was founded in 1904 by employees of the German pharmaceutical company Bayer AG, whose headquarters are in Leverkusen and from which the club draws its name. It was formerly the best-known department of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a sports club whose members also participate in athletics, gymnastics, basketball, field handball and other sports including the RTHC Bayer Leverkusen (rowing, tennis and hockey). In 1999, the football department was separated from the sports club and is now a separate entity formally called Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH. Bayer were first promoted to the Bundesliga in 1979, and have remained in the top division ever since. The club's main colors are red and black, both having been used as the main shirt color and with red and black stripes also having been used as home colors.

At the beginning of the season, nobody thought Bayer Leverkusen would have a chance to win the Bundesliga title. Bayern Munich, the perennial champions were the firm favorites to lift the 12th successive "Meisterschale" trophy. Borussia Dortmund, last seasons runner-up, were the best suited to challenge Bayern for the title,  after battling till final matchday for the title with Bayern. After Dortmund, RB Leipzig were the second favorite team for the title, having already beating Bayern for the Super Cup. But since the beginning of the season Leverkusen have been the club to beat, setting numerous records along the road, the most recent of which being the longest unbeaten streak in league history at 43 games.

The path to triumph for Bayer Leverkusen in their historic Bundesliga victory was nothing short of a fairy tale. It was a season filled with ups and downs, strategic brilliance, and unyielding spirit, marking an unforgettable chapter in the club's history.

The groundwork for Bayer Leverkusen's victorious campaign was meticulously laid out by the club's management and coaching staff. Leverkusen focused on blending experienced campaigners with young, vibrant talents, creating a squad that was versatile, hungry, and capable of taking on the rigors of a demanding Bundesliga season. Key signings were made with a clear vision in mind, bolstering the squad in areas that needed strengthening while maintaining a solid core group that had been part of the club for several seasons. This strategic squad building was fundamental to their success, providing the team with a perfect balance of youth and experience.

Leverkusen’s excellent work in the market went somewhat under the radar and it was more the departure of last season’s top scorer Moussa Diaby that initially caught the eye.

Yet they still had budget left over from that Diaby deal after completing four of their main transfers in. Switzerland captain Xhaka arrived from Arsenal with a wealth of experience and the ability to act as Alonso’s voice in midfield. Jonas Hofmann is a proven Bundesliga operator with some of the best attacking stats of recent years, including the most Fantasy points of any player in 2022/23 from a middling Gladbach side. Alejandro Grimaldo came on a free transfer – yes, free! – from Benfica to fill the once unsettled left wing-back berth. And up front, Victor Boniface arrived at the BayArena on the back of top-scoring in the Europa League last year.

All have slotted straight in and made immediate impacts in a team that has gelled together. Alonso fielded the same starting XI in 10 out of the first 16 Bundesliga games up to the winter break, utilising the depth of his squad in the European and cup games, which were also all won. It shows he has cover in every position if required.

Even with the Africa Cup of Nations  denying him three players in Odilon Kossounou, Edmond Tapsoba - two of the three first-choice defenders - and Amine Adli, plus a lengthy injury to Boniface, Alonso still showed he had a plan B that would be the envy of many coach's plan As.

The story of Bayer Leverkusen's historic Bundesliga victory is, without doubt, one of tactical brilliance, incredible teamwork, and the masterful influence of its management especially of their manager, the great Xabi Alonso.

Xabi Alonso had pedigree as a player and shown some evidence of his commitment to building a coaching career but appointing him to his first top-flight job was still a gamble. Rolfes was betting on the man and his broader background, an eclectic mix of influences. Part of the all-conquering Spain side, and having played under Pep Guardiola at Bayern, he is understandably committed to playing a possession game. A trophy winner under Rafael Benitez and Jose Mourinho, he knows how to make a team hard to beat too.

The Werkself started last season near the bottom of the Bundesliga and Alonso was recruited in October 2022. He replaced Gerardo Seoane. In his first major coaching job. He dragged them up to sixth spot last term from 17th position on the table.

Alonso inherited a young team with pace to counter-attack but wanted to fuse that with a more patient approach. Last season, in lifting the team up to sixth, he was able to do that in a relatively understated way. This season, Leverkusen are a team transformed. The possession numbers have gone from 51.8 per cent per game to 63.4 per cent - the biggest rise of any team in Europe's major leagues. But it is anything but passive. Leverkusen can still cut through teams on the counter-attack, moving forward at speed.

After last season’s march under Alonso from second bottom up to sixth, there was already a positive feeling around the BayArena ahead of a first full campaign under the Spaniard. When the fixture list was released, however, there may have been some nervous looks within the club.

An opening game at home to DFB Cup and Super cup holders RB Leipzig would provide a big first hurdle. And then a visit to local rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach. A home game against promoted Darmstadt will have been viewed as a must-win ahead of the international break, prior to a trip down to Bavaria to face Bayern Munich on Oktoberfest's opening weekend. It was a first four matchdays that really could go either way and would set the tone for the rest of the season. And Leverkusen steam rolled through them winning all the four matches, giving a trailer of what was to come ahead in the season.

Die Werkself remain the only team across Europe’s 54 top divisions yet to lose a competitive fixture in 2023/24, beating the 32-game unbeaten run set by Hansi Flick's  treble winning Bayern side in 2019 and 2020.

Second-placed Bayern Munich, fourth-placed Borussia Dortmund (1-1) and third-placed Stuttgart (1-1), along with local rivals Gladbach (0-0)—the only blank the Werkself have drawn all season—are the only teams holding the league leaders. Apart from these four matches Werkself have won all of their matches being on a unbeaten run of 44 consecutive matches. 

Die Werkself are on verge of becoming the first team in history of football to go unbeaten throughout the season without losing a single match in any of the tournaments.

Leverkusen's rise can be credited to the tactical brilliance of Alonso. It is his masterclass that has converted Werkself into a clinical unit. The Spaniard has used an identical starting line-up in most of the matches this season. Seven squad members have started every game, and a further three have started more than 10 times.

In front of Lukáš Hrádecký there is a three-man central defence, supported by a double-pivot midfield in Xhaka and, invariably, Argentina World Cup winner Exequiel Palacios. 

Grimaldo on the left flank and Jeremie Frimpong  on the right patrol the wings, covering the wide areas defensively but also getting involved in the attacks. Hofmann and Florian Wirtz  pull the strings as a double 10 operating behind Boniface at the point of the attack.

In short, it is a 3-4-2-1 in which everyone knows their roles. The centre of the pitch is packed with bodies, leaving room for the pacy wide men to advance. 

Leverkusen have been scintillating in attack so far this season, with 63 goals scored  after 25 matchdays just the headline stat  as a new club record. Apart from the two 1-1 draws with Dortmund and Stuttgart, plus the tight victory in Augsburg, Die Werkself had scored two goals or more in every league fixture prior to drawing a first blank in any fixture this season in the 0-0 draw with Gladbach on Matchday 19. On another day, they would've won that comfortably, having had 28 shots and an xG of 2.64 compared to Borussia's 0.21.

Only Bayern (78.6) and Stuttgart (63) - with Kane and Guirassy respectively - have a higher team xG than Leverkusen (62.8).

For all of Leverkusen's attacking prowess, they have also been impressive defensively. They have conceded the least number of goals in the league(19) and Die Werkself have also kept 14 clean sheets.

Due to their tactical discipline, Leverkusen are one of only two teams yet to have conceded a goal on the counter-attack - an incredible record for such an attacking team. Although they defend from the front, they are rarely offside, with players only flagged 10 times so far - another league-best mark.

With 107 shots on their goal, Leverkusen have allowed the second-fewest after Bayern, and the 11 big chances created against them beats everybody but Eintracht Frankfurt. At both ends of the field, Alonso's side are top notch.

There was also the time in 2001/02 when brilliant Leverkusen side featuring Michael Ballack, Oliver Neuville, Dimitar Berbatov, Lucio and Ze Reberto came within a whisker of not just one but three major honours. Leverkusen held a five-point lead with three games to go but still failed to hold on to the league title against Dortmund falling short by just one point. This was followed by a 4-2 defeat to Schalke in DFB Cup final and a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in Champions League courtesy of Zidane's spectacular volley. It is that campaign that spawned the 'Neverkusen' and 'Eternal Bridesmaids' tags the club has struggled to shake off.

Two years earlier they’d let the league title slip from their grasp on the final day after a Michael Ballack own goal against Unterhaching. Dubbed ‘Neverkusen’ for those gut-wrenching near misses. But this season all the demons of past have been buried finally and Leverkusen have finally won their first league title. Leverkusen has finally secured their first league title with 5 games to go having a 16 points gap at top of the table. 

The title was empathetically wrapped up in front of the home fans with a stunning 5-0 win against Werder Bremen fired by first senior hat-trick from home grown talent Florian Wirtz, sending fans into a frenzy. 

Leverkusen's title win is a fantastic news for German football. Borussia Dortmund, led by Jurgen Klopp, was the last team other than Bayern Munich to win the Bundesliga in 2012.

Even though the Bavarians' 11-year dominance was spectacular, it hurt the league's reputation in comparison to other elite divisions in Europe. 

Bayer Leverkusen's historic Bundesliga win marks a turning point in the team's long journey. For years, the club fought tooth and nail, coming agonizingly close on numerous occasions, but this season, their determination, skill, and teamwork propelled them to finally clinch that elusive title. It's a victory not just for the players and coaching staff, but for the loyal fans who stood by the team through seasons of ups and downs. This win serves as a powerful reminder that with perseverance, unity, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, even the loftiest dreams can be realized. Bayer Leverkusen's first-ever Bundesliga victory isn't merely a win in the record books; it's a beacon of hope and inspiration for future generations of footballers and fans alike.