No more Neverkusen as Bayer Leverkusen win Bundesliga title at last
Bayer Leverkusen have had several near misses over the years to earn the nickname Neverkusen, but the barb is now a thing of the past with a first Bundesliga title in a record-breaking season.
Sunday's 5-0 victory over Werder Bremen ended a trophy drought of 31 years since a German Cup success in 1993, five years after they lifted the UEFA Cup.
They erased a Bayern Munich record by extending their impressive unbeaten run all season to 29 Bundesliga matches, and with five games left have the chance to become the first German top-flight team to not taste defeat in a full campaign.
Unbeaten in 43 matches in all competitions, Leverkusen can claim a treble as they are big favourites in the German Cup final on May 25 against second division Kaiserslautern and are still in the Europa League.
They defend a 2-0 lead at West Ham United in the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday.
"Football history owes Bayer Leverkusen a Bundesliga title," former player and long-time club official Rudi Völler said this week.
A series of near misses in the past earned the club owned by pharmaceutical company Bayer the nickname of Vizekusen, or Neverkusen in the English-speaking world.
The club had the name Vizekusen protected by the national patent and brand office until 2030, with former managing director Wolfgang Holzhäuser telling dpa this was not for self-mockery reasons but to deny others from making a profit from using the name.
In the top flight since 1979, Leverkusen also had the name Meisterkusen (Championkusen) protected but that expired in 2020, according to the patent office.
A Bundesliga title seemed far away four years ago, and they found themselves in the danger zone early in 2022-23, prompting the exit of Gerardo Seoane and appointment of Alonso.
Alonso, 42, had never coached a first team before as he arrived from Real Sociedad's reserves but he had a winning mentality as a player - having lifted the World Cup and two Euros with Spain, the Champions League with Real Madrid and Liverpool, and national titles with Real and Bayern Munich.
And just like he helped Liverpool win the epic 2005 Champions League final from 3-0 down against AC Milan, he led a Leverkusen turnaround from the relegation zone to sixth place and the Europa League semis.
They ended last season with a 3-0 defeat in Bochum on May 27 and have not tasted defeat since then in a more remarkable run this term.
The title was for them to lose once they comprehensively outplayed Bayern 3-0 in February but caution always prevailed, with Alonso highlighting only last week that "the fans recall Unterhaching and the past. We want to celebrate when there is something to celebrate."
Leverkusen lost three Cup finals and had five Bundesliga runner-up finishes, including in 2000, when an own goal from star midfielder Michael Ballack meant they lost at Unterhaching on the final matchday to gift Bayern the league trophy.
Two years later, Leverkusen blew a five-point league lead in the last three matches, with Borussia Dortmund finishing top, and over the next 11 days also lost the German Cup and Champions League finals against Schalke and Real Madrid respectively.
A few weeks later, several Leverkusen players led by Ballack lost the World Cup final against Brazil as well, although defender Lucio was on the winning side.
Lucio is also a prime example of Leverkusen's success in luring South American talent, with Zé Roberto, Emerson and Jorginho joining in the past and Piero Hincapié and Exequiel Palacios currently in the squad.
Leverkusen raised eyebrows by landing top East German forwards Ulf Kirsten and Andreas Thom shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990. Former West Germany greats Völler and Bernd Schuster also played for them, with Völler then in club management until 2022.
Their latest stars include Germany international Florian Wirtz, lured from rivals Cologne as a youngster, Spain's Alex Grimaldo, Nigeria's Victor Boniface, Jonathan Tah, Dutchman Jeremie Frimpong and experienced Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka.
Alonso has acheived what prominent predecessors such as ex-Germany coach Berti Vogts, Netherlands great Rinus Michels and Christoph Daum, who left over a cocaine affair, were not able to deliver.
"Xabi Alonso has taken me to a new level," Germany defender Tah said.
Völler added: "Sporting director Simon Rolfes has put together an outstanding squad and coach Xabi Alonso is of course outstanding."
Völler was on the pitch when Leverkusen were eight minutes away from Bundesliga relegation in 1996 before salvaging a 1-1 draw against Kaiserslautern, who went down instead.
When Leverkusen and Kaiserslautern meet again on May 25 in the Berlin Cup final it could be the third trophy within eight days. Leverkusen will receive the Bundesliga trophy after the final matchday on May 18, and the Europa League final is on May 22.
Many neutrals will be happy that Bayern's 11-year reign as Bundesliga champions is finally over, but Leverkusen's business model has also led to criticism and makes them not a popular club in the country.
Like Volkswagen-backed Wolfsburg, Leverkusen are exempt from the 50+1 rule in German football which prohibits full investor ownership, due to the long-time investment by Bayer AG. The club must pass all profit to Bayer, who however also cover all losses.
German fan alliance Unsere Kurve (Our Curve) said that while Leverkusen "have had a marvellous season" and that "it's right to recognize this achievement", the success will leave "a bitter taste."
