Bayer Leverkusen

It's surprising enough that an Alonso side are already this good, but it's even more surprising why they're this good

We reveal the winners of The Athletic's end-of-season awards for 2023-24, covering the Premier League and European competition

Bayer Leverkusen are the footballing story of the season, but it is impossible to ignore the tough history of Bayer, their owners

Bayer Leverkusen made sure they completed an entire domestic season without defeat, the first Bundesliga team to achieve that feat

Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-2 draw against Roma in the Europa League on Thursday night means the German side have gone 49 games unbeaten and broken the record for the longest streak without losing to a European club since the introduction of UEFA club competitions in 1955. Leverkusen were leading their tie against Roma by two goals following the opening clash, but looked set to lose their first game of the season after two penalties from Leandro Paredes had put the Italian club ahead. An own goal from Gianluca Mancini in the 82nd minute, however, and a 97th-minute equaliser from Josip Stanisic...

The unbeaten German champions showed a ruthless edge in Europa League semi-final - just as they have all season

From Man City graduate to Bundesliga champion, via a Scottish treble, the 23-year-old Frimpong has covered a lot of ground in a short time

It's been a bad week for English clubs in Europe, but a fifth Champions League spot is not impossible – Aston Villa are the only hope

Xabi Alonso says Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten run is “a consequence of a good job” after they progressed to the Europa League semi-finals with a 3-1 aggregate victory over West Ham United. Alonso’s team fell behind to Michail Antonio’s early header and struggled to meet their usual standards in the first half, while the hosts created several additional chances. Leverkusen, fresh off their first Bundesliga title win, markedly improved after half-time, missing many opportunities before substitute Jeremie Frimpong’s shot deflected past Lukasz Fabianski in the...

Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga title triumph has ended one of the most impressive records in football. Bayern Munich forward Kingsley Coman had, before this campaign, had an 11-season career as a professional footballer and set an incredible all-time record in Europe’s top five leagues. Coman, 27, had played in a league-winning side in each of his 11 seasons as a professional footballer and even featured for two title-winners in the 2015-16 campaign, meaning he had secured a record 12 titles in 11 seasons. The Frenchman began his career at Paris Saint-Germain and featured in Ligue 1...

Bayer Leverkusen have cast off the 'Neverkusen' tag to win the first Bundesliga title of their 120-year history

Bayer Leverkusen have won the 2023-24 Bundesliga title after their 5-0 win over Werder Bremen. Leverkusen’s victory moves them onto 79 points, meaning second-placed Bayern Munich and third-placed Stuttgart — both on 63 points after wins of their own on Saturday — cannot catch them even with five matches remaining in the season. Xabi Alonso’s side took the lead midway through the first half when striker Victor Boniface converted a penalty before former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka doubled their advantage on the hour mark. Florian Wirtz then scored a hat-trick to seal a famous...

Xabi Alonso's all-conquering Bayer Leverkusen are on course to go a full season unbeaten in all competitions – it’s a rare feat

When 33-year-old Sergio Canales lines up for Monterrey against Inter Miami’s quartet of ex-Barcelona icons on Wednesday, he will do so as the most expensive signing in Mexican football history. There were several junctures when imagining glamour at this stage of his career seemed fanciful, if not impossible. None more so than on Dec. 30, 2015, when he was stretchered off the Bernabeu pitch — the place his career had been predicted to ignite as a teenager but where he only lasted a single season playing for Real Madrid. Then with Real Sociedad, he had just suffered the third ACL injury...

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