Bayer Leverkusen have secured its first-ever German Bundesliga title, dethroning the long-standing dominance of Bayern Munich.
Under the astute leadership of former Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso, the Red and Blacks sealed this historic feat on Sunday at the BayArena.
The decisive victory over Werder Bremen in a thrilling encounter sent fans into jubilant celebrations in a monumental achievement.
In the 25th minute, Victor Boniface calmly converted from the penalty spot to give the home side the lead.
In the 60th minute, Granit Xhaka doubled their advantage after receiving a delightful pass from Boniface, expertly slotting the ball past the stranded goalkeeper.
Just eight minutes later, Florian Wirtz extended Leverkusen’s lead with a spectacular long-range strike, leaving the opposition goalkeeper with no chance.
The 20-year-old midfielder then secured his brace and the team’s fourth goal, capitalising on a superb pass before unleashing a powerful shot into the bottom corner of the net.He scored again in stoppage time to complete his hattrick while sealing a 5-0 win for the side.
This triumph holds profound significance for Bayer Leverkusen, marking the end of multiple failed attempts to clinch the league title. Despite finishing as runners-up on five occasions in the last three decades (1996/97, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2001/02, and 2010–11), Leverkusen had never claimed the coveted title until now.
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On three occasions, they surrendered the title to Bayern Munich and twice to Borussia Dortmund.
However, with an impressive tally of 76 points, Die Werkself has clinched the title in emphatic fashion this season, securing it with five matches to spare. They currently sit comfortably 16 points clear of Bayern Munich, who had claimed the previous 11 editions.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund find themselves out of contention, sitting in fifth place with only 56 points earned so far.
This historic victory for Bayer Leverkusen marks a remarkable triumph and a significant shift in the landscape of German football.