Xabi Alonso wants to add Bayer Leverkusen to the club of invincible champions

Bayer Leverkusen has already made football history. Xabi Alonso’s Bundesliga title is just the tip of the iceberg for a season they could cap with a treble if they lift the Cup (they play Kaiserslautern in the final) and the Europa League (they play Roma in the semi-finals).

The success resulted in a brilliant unbeaten result in all competitions this season. Their 45 games without defeat! They hold the top-flight record, ahead of Juventus’ 43rd in 2011/12. “I don’t like to think too much about brands, but once you get them, you try to appreciate them and know that they come from a lot of good things.. We don’t want to pass. When in 10 years someone surpasses him, we will congratulate him, but for now we are happy with the good results and the mentality we need to be able to come back in difficult times,” Alonso said.

As Alonso states, Bayer always gets up. They remain impeccable despite coming close to defeat in their last two games. In the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final against West Ham, Frimpong’s 89th-minute goal avoided a first setback of the 2023–24 season, sealing the tie. (1-1). And in Dortmund Stanisic’s goal… in the 97th minute! He remained undefeated, repeating the London result (1-1). The goal celebration, with the entire coaching staff and players jumping onto the pitch, demonstrated how important it is to continue without knowing defeat.

Maintaining concentration like this is not easy, but the challenge we have is to remain undefeated.

Granit Xhaka, Leverkusen midfielder

“Maintaining such concentration is not easy, but we have a task ahead of us: to remain undefeated. Every point helps us along the way,” explained Granit Xhaka. And that’s what Leverkusen are unbeaten in 30 matches in this Bundesliga (25 wins and five draws). and he is four games away from an unprecedented milestone in football: finishing the championship unbeaten.

Juve and Arsenal brand

Xabi Alonso wants to include Bayer Leverkusen in the club of invincible champions. If his team avoids defeat against Stuttgart, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bochum and Augsburg, they will achieve a record that few teams in the top flight have achieved. In the 21st century, only two have achieved this: Juventus of the 2011-2012 season of Conte, Pirlo, Buffon, Chiellini… in the Italian Serie A and Arsenal of Wenger, Henry, Bergkamp, ​​Vieira, Pires… in the Premiere 2003- 04. After this significant event, the Gunners took the name “Invincibles” and painted their wing gold.

We don’t want to lose

Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen coach

In football, he had previously been signed by Preston North End (1888–89) in the first FA league season. In calcio, this was recently achieved by Capello’s Milan (1991-92), and a century ago by Genoa (1922-23) and Pro Vercelli (1912-13). In the Spanish La Liga, this was achieved by Athletic Bilbao (1928–29) and Real Madrid (1931–32). He has never been seen in either the French Ligue 1 or the German Bundesliga… until now. Alonso is looking to break another limit that Guardiola came close to breaking with Bayern in the 2012-13 season, suffering his only defeat… to Leverkusen (1-2)!

“We don’t want to lose. The goal was very exciting, celebrating with the fans was very nice and means a lot to all of us,” said Guardiola’s Bayern (28th in 2013/14).

Leverkusen wants to join a select group that has recently signed up Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade (2022-23 and 2020-21), Scotland’s Celtic (2016-17) and Rangers (2020-21), Slavia Prague ( 2020-21), Czech Republic (2020-21), Olympiacos (2019-20) and PAOK (2018-19) from Greece, Porto (2010-11 and 2012-13) from Portugal… but not a single top-flight club league since Juventus in 2012. Bayer is making every effort to open the door to football history.