With the biggest win of its incredible Bundesliga season, Bayer Leverkusen secured the early championship title against Werder Bremen – and even saved energy in the process.
No more “Vizekusen”: With a furious 5-0 (1-0) against Werder Bremen, Bayer Leverkusen secured the long-awaited first championship title in the club’s history five game days before the end of the season. Thanks to goals from Victor Boniface (25th, penalty kick), Granit Xhaka (60th) and a flawless hat trick from Florian Wirtz (68th, 83rd, 90th), Bayer maintained their lead over FC Bayern to an unassailable 16 points .
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“This is the biggest title in the club’s history – that’s why we’re pretty proud that our team achieved it,” said Wirtz, who was once again outstanding, to the sports show. He wants to put his three goals in the background. “Today it was just about us winning the game, we did that very confidently.”
Fernando Carro: “I see the greed of the team”
Master coach Xabi Alonso said he probably needed some time to understand what the title meant. “We have to enjoy this. It’s been an intense year. It’s not over yet, but right now is the moment to celebrate a little.” Lukas Hradecky obviously has a lot planned for this: “Today I’ll sleep in the stadium, that’s for sure.”
Managing director Fernando Carro now believes the team can win the triple of championship, DFB Cup and Europa League. “I see the greed of the team, the greed of the coach, the coaching team, the whole club,” said Carro in the sports show on Sunday.
Marc Eschweiler / Luise Kropff, Sportschau, April 14, 2024 7:32 p.m
The series that Bayer extended with the renewed victory is also historic: the Werkself have now been undefeated in 43 competitive games – only Juventus Turin have achieved that in Europe in the 2011/12 season.
Bayer starts without Wirtz and Grimaldo
Bayer coach Xabi Alonso didn’t even have to call up his best team for his masterpiece. Surprisingly, given the busy schedule, he even left the two outstanding regular players Wirtz and Alejandro Grimaldo on the bench. Compared to the 2-0 win against West Ham on Thursday, Alonso made seven changes.
Bremen’s Keita causes a scandal
While Alonso was able to rotate with a clear conscience, Bremen’s squad was thinned out due to suspensions and injuries. Naby Keita, supposedly the king’s transfer last summer, made the personnel problem even worse. Because he wasn’t scheduled for the starting eleven, he didn’t even get on the bus to Leverkusen – so Bremen only had seven substitutes on the bench instead of the possible nine.
Accordingly, Werder were clear outsiders and were lucky in the 8th minute when Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie was denied by Zetterer from close range. Only at the beginning did the Bayer professionals make a few mistakes with the historic opportunity in mind, but after Boniface’s opening goal, all nervousness was over. Julian Malatini had fouled Jonas Hofmann in the six-yard box, Boniface safely converted the penalty into the right corner.
Xhaka and Wirtz from a distance
Afterwards, Leverkusen came close to adding on several occasions, especially when Amine Adli shot against the crossbar (38′). But it was only after the break that Xhaka and Wirtz, who was substituted at half-time, increased the score with wonderful long-range shots. Wirtz once again got the 4:1 free in front of Zetterer – and thus caused strange scenes.
Bayer Leverkusen fans celebrate on the lawn
Many Leverkusen fans, who had already overcome the barriers, stormed the field and caused an interruption. Both teams played to the end in the red smoke of pyrotechnics before all the dams finally broke after Wirtz’s third goal.
“We didn’t become champions because someone else was weak, but because we were simply top, the best team this year,” said Simon Rolfes, Managing Director of Sports, to the Sportschau. “We didn’t just end Vizekusen, we pulverized them.”