Leverkusen’s title win in the 29th round is the third earliest in the history of the German Bundesliga. Only Bayern Munich had brought about a decision twice earlier (27th and 28th round). The nickname “Vizekusen”, which has stuck with the club since the beginning of this millennium, has now become “Meisterkusen”. Mainly thanks to Alonso, who left the club 17th in the table on October 5, 2022. took over and finally formed into a top team this season.
He celebrated 55 wins in 80 competitive games and only suffered ten defeats, none of them this season. “It is special for everyone to win the first championship, there is great joy. Maybe it’s also healthy for the Bundesliga and German football that someone else becomes champion again,” said the Spaniard.
AP/Martin Meissner This year the master beer was not flowed in Munich
“Tyranny of Bavaria” ended
Spain’s press highlighted their compatriot’s share of the title. “Xabi I of Germany. Bayer Leverkusen conquers the first Bundesliga championship in its history. What neither Borussia Dortmund nor RB Leipzig managed at the time, Bayer Leverkusen managed: to end the tyranny of Bayern,” wrote “Marca”. “As” saw it the same way: “Bayer Leverkusen are champions. Xabi is master. Football is master. After eleven years of Bayern’s tyranny, the king has changed for the first time in the Bundesliga.”
German Bundesliga
Schedule and table
“Bayer Leverkusen didn’t tremble,” noted the French “L’Equipe”. “Unbeaten in all competitions since the start of the season, Xabi Alonso’s team converted their first match point against Werder Bremen on Sunday and made history with their first championship title in Germany. Winning the championship after eleven years of Bavarian hegemony is one thing. Crowning yourself with five matchdays to go is another. An XXL performance that commands respect.”
Not everything has been achieved yet
The 42-year-old Alonso said he still needs time to realize the first milestone of a young coaching career. There was no ban on celebrating for his players, even though the quarter-final second leg of the Europa League against West Ham is already on Thursday. “Now is the moment to celebrate, they deserve it. Next week will be a different topic. It’s great to be German champion. But we want more. We also want the cup and the Europa League.”
Leverkusen has already secured the final of the DFB Cup against 1. FC Kaiserslautern on May 25th in Berlin. Leverkusen last won this competition in 1993. In the Europa League, the chances of reaching the semi-finals are good after winning 2-0 in the first leg. There you would face AC Milan or AS Roma. The year 2024 could go down in club history not just because of the premiere title in the German Bundesliga.
The competition doesn’t believe that Bayer will be a flash in the pan; outgoing Freiburg coach Christian Streich expects a close fight for the title in the future: “There was only one German champion this year, that’s Leverkusen. At the moment they are the best team in Germany, but that could change in a few months. It’s good when they fight each other. Bayern will react accordingly, then we will have a competitive situation.”
