Bayer Leverkusen: How Xabi Alonso’s Unbeaten Juggernaut Halted Bayern Munich1 min read
Bayer Leverkusen’s quest for a German championship title has been a rollercoaster ride through history, often ending in heartbreak.
In 2000, they famously stumbled at the finish line at minnows Unterhaching, a small club in the suburbs of Munich, as the moniker “Neverkusen” made the rounds for the first time.
Two years later, Leverkusen even managed to miss three chances to win silverware within a few days, manifesting the image of a club that would always come up short.
Fast forward to this season and any lingering doubts about Leverkusen’s ability to handle the pressure were swiftly dispelled weeks before Sunday’s title success.
Under the leadership of Xabi Alonso, their dominance has been relentless, marching towards their maiden domestic championship with an air of inevitability.
They’ve been a juggernaut, unbeaten thus far, eyeing not just the Bundesliga crown but also tantalising prospects of a treble, with the German Cup and Europa League also still within reach.
While Leverkusen were considered part of Bundesliga’s potential top three going into this season, few gave Alonso’s team a fighting chance against Bayern Munich, especially with the perennial champions’ marquee summer signing of England captain Harry Kane.
Leverkusen’s resurgence traces back to Alonso’s arrival, injecting a fresh impetus into a team that was 17th in the Bundesliga standings at the time the 42-year-old took over.
The transformation from an underperforming group of undoubtedly gifted players into a cohesive unit who are unbeaten this season is testament to Alonso’s tactical acumen and leadership skills.
When he first stepped foot into Leverkusen’s facilities, the former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder was still an inexperienced coach, having only managed Real Sociedad’s reserves during the three previous years.
