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German football had long been dominated by Bayern Munich before last season. The Bavarians were always favourites to win the Bundesliga when betting on football down to the sheer meritocracy they forced on the league.
After Jamal Musiala scored a late goal against Cologne in 2023, Bayern snatched their 11th consecutive title away from Borussia Dortmund, and many thought that their dominance would never end.
That was until Xabi Alonso arrived at Bayer Leverkusen. When the Spaniard took over in October 2022, the club was languishing near the bottom of the table, and relegation fears were very real. However, Alonso brought a sense of calm and confidence that soon permeated the entire squad.
Drawing from his own illustrious playing career – where he was coached by some of the greatest of all time, including Rafael Benitez, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola, he fused all the philosophies to build a winning mentality at Leverkusen.
His tactical acumen allowed the team to play attractive, attacking football while maintaining defensive solidity—qualities that helped them rise swiftly up the table. Against all odds, Leverkusen secured a European spot in his first season in charge, completing a remarkable turnaround.
Leverkusen had long been considered the nearly-men of German football. Die Werkself had a history of coming so close to glory, only to falter at the final hurdle. The 2001/02 season was perhaps the most heart-wrenching of all.
Klaus Toppmöller’s side looked on course to complete a historic treble—leading the Bundesliga, reaching the DFB-Pokal final, and making it to the Champions League final. However, they ended that season empty-handed, losing all three competitions. This collapse became emblematic of the club’s misfortunes, and dark times followed as they struggled to shake off the “Neverkusen” label.
Enter Alonso, who transformed the side from perennial underachievers into champions. The 2023/24 Bundesliga season was a dream campaign for Leverkusen and their fans, as Alonso created an exciting, attacking team that entertained the entire Bundesliga as well as those inside the BayArena. His group would go on to win the Bundesliga undefeated.
Alonso also revitalised the defence, with Edmond Tapsoba and Jonathan Tah forming a rock-solid partnership at the back, while goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky was outstanding when called upon.
On top of this, the attacking duo of Florian Wirtz and Victor Boniface flourished under Alonso’s leadership, with Wirtz, in particular, showcasing his creativity and vision as he won the Bundesliga Player of the Season over Harry Kane, who despite scoring 44 goals in his debut season, was unable to prevent Bayern capitulating under Thomas Tuchel.
Bayern’s inconsistency coincided with Leverkusen’s ability to win games late. After a crushing 4-1 victory against Tuchel’s side, they returned from the winter break in poll position and ran with it all the way to the title. Late goals against Frankfurt and Union Berlin kept the winning streak alive, while good cup form ensured they reached the final of the DFB Pokal and Europa League.
While the league title was wrapped up with games to play, the Europa League loss to Atalanta in Dublin prevented a perfect season for Leverkusen.
Alonso’s side weren’t at the races against the Italians and an Ademola Lookman hat-trick was too much to handle on the night to deliver their first loss in 53 games. That said, the DFB Pokal win completed the double in a hard-fought battle against second-division Kaiserslautern.
The unbeaten run in the league would finally come to an end this season, with RB Leipzig becoming the first side in 462 days to best Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. But they can look back on that record with pride.
Overcoming years of heartbreak, they emerged not only as champions but as Invincibles, breaking Bayern’s stranglehold on German football. After retaining the core of his squad – even with many linked to Europe’s top clubs – the BayArena will hope for more silverware to arrive in its cabinet soon. With Alonso at the helm, the future looks bright for this once “nearly” club.
