Bayer Leverkusen has written a tale for the ages, an improbable story of victors in a league dominated by Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. The Bundesliga has been locked and stowed away by those two giants, but Germany has a new king on the throne, and this could be Europe’s biggest new threat in a while.
Led by football legend Xabi Alonso in the managerial position, Leverkusen has not lost a game in 40 matches across all competitions! If looking only at this 2023/2024 Bundesliga season, they haven’t dropped any of their 26 games so far, with only four of them resulting in a tie. They are unbeaten in Europe, with a strong campaign to win the Europa League in full force. Now being at the top of the Bundesliga and candidates to win the 2nd tier of European football, they have surely secured a spot in the Champions League next season.
The team has succeeded with already-established stars and has bred elite players. With the acquisition of Granit Xhaka from English side Arsenal, the Bayer midfield has looked like a top talent. A former member of Barcelona B and Benfica, Álex Grimaldo has made himself an international name with his performances as a left-back.
But the star of the story has to be the Dutch right-wingback, Jeremie Frimpong. Playing in a versatile role with appearances in the midfield and running in on the attack, Frimpong is so lightning quick he leaves the opposing fullbacks with a blur. His performances mean a likely call-up to the Netherlands senior team for the 2024 Euros, as his absence would definitely be seen as a snub. The Dutch typically line up in a 3-4-3, but Frimpong’s speed and attacking capabilities would make him a great fit at right-mid. Players like Frimpong and Grimaldo are quite young and offer a strong backbone for the future of the team.
Who could topple the Bavarians? No one could contemplate it, at least until this season, as Bayern has won an outstanding 11 titles in a row. Such an unprecedented feat seemed unlikely to break, yet a clinching of the Bundesliga is only moments away for “Neverlusen”.
Xabi was a superstar at Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Bayern as a player, and his performances as a coach have attracted interest from his three former clubs, with a strong argument existing for the Spaniard to fill Jurgen Klopp’s spot at Liverpool following his retirement. Coaches are always looking for the biggest team, even if it means leaving Leverkusen after such a historic run, yet he won’t be forgotten and will have perfectly set up whoever comes next. One thing is for sure, and it’s that the Bundesliga and Europe may have strong competition for years to come.
