Bayer Leverkusen won their first Bundesliga title and reached it with five games remaining because of a 5-0 victory over Werder Bremen.
Bayern monachium defeat Cologne on Saturday to place Leverkusen’s title celebrations on hold for not less than someday.
However, when the final whistle sounded at the BayArena on Sunday, there have been scenes of joy in Xabi Alonso’s team.
Victor Boniface’s penalty kick in the twenty fifth minute gave Leverkusen the lead, before Granit Xhaka and Florian Wirtz scored sensible goals in quick succession.
Fans stormed the pitch midway through the match when star striker Wirtz added a fourth in the 82nd minute and accomplished his hat-trick again shortly thereafter.
Leverkusen’s breakthrough ends an era of dominance by Bayern, who’ve won 11 Bundesliga titles.
Undefeated in all competitions this season, Leverkusen remain on course to finish a remarkable treble in Alonso’s first full season in charge, with the German Cup and Europa League still of their sights.
Leverkusen will do their job in style
For weeks, it had seemed inevitable that Leverkusen would win the Bundesliga.
The query was “when”, not “if” the club would manage to win the first Meisterschale – the championship shield.
There was an environment of anticipation in the BayArena before kick-off as fans eagerly welcomed the Leverkusen team bus with confetti and flares.
Werder goalkeeper Michael Zetterer ended the premature celebration when he prevented Piero Hincapi from deflecting Nathan Tella’s cross in the opening moments.
However, there was an uproar in the stands when Boniface scored after the assistant referee’s video showed Julian Malatini obstructing Jonas Hofmann in the penalty area.
Just before the break, Werder got here near spoiling Leverkusen’s fun, but Marvin Ducksch was unable to direct his header towards goal.
Xhaka’s superb 25-yard shot after the hour mark put Alonso’s team in full control before Wirtz put his own long-range shot past the former Arsenal midfielder.
Play was quickly restarted as fans returned to their seats after Wirtz’s second goal, but a sea of red and black shirts flooded the pitch once more as the 20-year-old scored Leverkusen’s fifth goal, prompting the referee to blow the final whistle.
When Alonso took over in October 2022, Leverkusen was in the relegation zone.
Just 18 months later they became Bundesliga champions.
Compositions
B Leverkusen
Creation 3-4-2-1
- 1Lock
- 6Kossounou
- 4Yeah
- 12Tapsoba
- 19TellaReplaced byFrimpongOn 62′minutes
- 8Andrich
- 34XhakaReplaced byPalaciosOn 77′minutes
- 3StressBooked by 47 minutesReplaced byGrimaldoOn 77′minutes
- 7Hofmann
- 21JudicialBooked at 31 minutesReplaced byWirtzOn 45′minutes
- 22BonifaceReplaced bySchickOn 62′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Stanisic
- 10Wirtz
- 13by Matos Soares
- 14Schick
- 17Blacksmith
- 20Grimaldo
- 25Palacios
- thirtyFrimpong
- 32Puerta
Werder Bremen
Creation 3-5-2
- thirtyZetterer
- 22Diseases
- 36Big
- 13Veljkovic
- 8Weiser
- 10BittencourtBooked by 47 minutesReplaced byHansen-AaröenOn 77′minutes
- 14Lynen
- 20Schmid
- 27AguReplaced bytimeOn 69′minutes
- 29WoltemadeReplaced byKownackiOn 69′minutes
- 7Ducksch
Substitutes
- 2time
- 9Kownacki
- 21Hansen-Aaröen
- 26In imagination
- 35Opitz
- 38dos Santos Haesler
- 40Pole
- Judge:
- Harm the Osmers
- Frequency:
- 30210
Live text
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The match ends, Bayer 04 Leverkusen 5, SV Werder Bremen 0.
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The second half ends, Bayer 04 Leverkusen 5, SV Werder Bremen 0.
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The delay is over. They are able to proceed.
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Match delay (Bayer 04 Leverkusen).
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Goal! Bayer 04 Leverkusen 5, SV Werder Bremen 0. Florian Wirtz (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) shot a right-footed shot from the center of the penalty area into the lower left corner. Assisted by Álex Grimaldo after a quick break.
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Foul by Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer 04 Leverkusen).
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Romano Schmid (SV Werder Bremen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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The delay is over. They are able to proceed.
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Match delay (Bayer 04 Leverkusen).
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Goal! Bayer 04 Leverkusen 4, SV Werder Bremen 0. Florian Wirtz (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) shot a right-footed shot from the center of the penalty area into the lower left corner. Assisted by Exequiel Palacios, through ball after a fast break.
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Foul: Odilon Kossounou (Bayer 04 Leverkusen).
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Marvin Ducksch (SV Werder Bremen) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Attempt failed. Exequiel Palacios (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) Right-footed shot from outside the penalty area is simply too high. Assisted by Florian Wirtz.
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Substitution, Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Exequiel Palacios replaces Granit Xhaka.
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Substitution, SV Werder Bremen. Isak Hansen-Aaröen replaces Leonardo Bittencourt resulting from injury.
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Substitution, Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Álex Grimaldo replaces Piero Hincapié.
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Attempt failed. Romano Schmid (SV Werder Bremen) right-footed shot from outside the penalty area is close but misses to the left.
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Attempt saved. Olivier Deman’s (SV Werder Bremen) shot with his left foot from the left side of the penalty area is saved into the top right corner. Assisted by Leonardo Bittencourt from a cross.
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Attempt saved. Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area is saved into the top right corner.
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Attempt saved. Patrik Schick (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) left-footed shot from the center of the penalty area is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jeremie Frimpong after a cross.
Credit : www.bbc.co.uk
