14 April 2024 , 17:22
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Neverkusen are no more. The Bundesliga FINALLY belongs to Bayer Leverkusen.
A stylish and entertaining thrashing of Werder Bremen was enough to see them finally get their hands on the crown. Victor Boniface’s 25th-minute penalty, a rocket from former Arsenal star Granit Xhaka and a hat-trick from homegrown starlet Florian Wirtz put the seal on things.
Victory over Werder represented Leverkusen’s 25th of the season in just their 29th game. That is exactly why they are now champions. Alonso’s side have been in sensational form all season and justifiably end the domestic dominance of Bayern Munich.
While supporters and players alike will celebrate long into the night, their historic title success also sees Leverkusen exorcise their demons of yesteryear. They had finished as Bundesliga runners-up on five occasions in the past - the most recent coming in 2011.
The most famous of their failures came during the 2001/02 season when, odds on to win the title, they took just one win from their final four games and saw Bayern Munich steam in to claim the trophy by a point.
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It then got worse for Leverkusen as they were defeated 3-2 by Schalke in the German Cup final. And despite dominating Real Madrid in the Champions League final just days later, they found themselves on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline - Zinedine Zidane famously inspiring the Spanish side to victory.
From a potential treble to trophyless. It was then that the ‘Neverkusen’ nickname started to stick. That is all very, very different now after Alonso finally ended the club's hoodoo.
Speaking after ending that long wait, he said: “This is a very special moment for the club. Winning the Bundesliga for the first time in 120 years is something very special. The players are top. I am very proud of everyone. It is an honour for me to work here.”
Bayer Leverkusen fans flood the pitch after the Bundesliga title was confirmed (Getty Images)How many trophies will Bayer Leverkusen win this season? Share your predictions in the comments below
The victory over Bremen was typical Leverkusen - sumptuous football sprinkled with individual brilliance. Boniface’s penalty - awarded by VAR after Julian Malatin had fouled Jonas Hofmann - just about escaped the grasp of Bremen goalkeeper Michael Zetterer.
It also represented Boniface’s 18th goal of the campaign, an excellent return in his debut season following a move from Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise. Hofmann and Amine Adli had the opportunities to make the afternoon more comfortable but failed to find the net. Xhaka then fired in a stunning effort from 25 yards to make sure of things.
Wunderkind Florian Wirtz zipped in a third from distance to really get the party started within the BayArena, naturally of course. He then doubled up his afternoon's work and triggered a pitch invasion in the process. There was even time for him to seal the matchball on his boyhood club's historic day.
Xabi Alonso celebrates becoming a Bundesliga title winner (Getty Images)With the Bundesliga secure, it could get even better for Alonso trailblazers. The Spaniard has already confirmed his intention to stay with the club after spurning interest from former club Liverpool. Alonso could also become the first man to lead a club to an unbeaten Bundesliga season with five games remaining.
Two more trophies could also be added to the cabinet. Leverkusen have a spot in the German Cup final and will take on second-tier side FC Kaiserslautern.
European glory could also be on the menu. Alonso’s side boast a 2-0 lead against West Ham in the Europa League quarter-finals.
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Many Leverkusen supporters will call for caution, particularly with that Neverkusen tag still in the back of their minds. But as it stands, they can celebrate finally, finally being kings of Germany.
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