Bayer Leverkusen win first Bundesliga title, ending Bayern Munich’s reign | Football News

Leverkusen beat Werder Bremen 5-0 to win soccer’s Bundesliga with 5 video games remaining, ending Bayern’s run of 11 consecutive titles.

Undefeated Bayer Leverkusen have secured their first Bundesliga title with a 5-0 victory over Werder Bremen, breaking an 11-year stranglehold on the league by Bayern Munich.

Xabi Alonso’s crew, who’ve now gone a league-record 29 matches with out defeat this season to safe their first trophy since 1993, have a 16-point lead over Bayern with 5 matches remaining.

They’ll add extra titles this season, having reached the German Cup closing and the Europa League quarterfinals, the place they’ve a 2-0 first-leg benefit over West Ham United.

Leverkusen left nothing to probability and sealed their title win on the first alternative with Florian Wirtz bagging a hat trick in a win that stretched their unbeaten run throughout all competitions to a exceptional 43 video games this season.

“I can’t describe this,” Germany worldwide Wirtz mentioned. “I personally can nonetheless not realise this has occurred. I’ll want a number of moments within the altering room to know what we’ve achieved.

“We couldn’t have imagined one thing like this whenever you see how the earlier season went.”

Xabi Alonso, who took over as coach when Leverkusen was within the relegation zone in October 2022, mirrored on ending Bayern’s dominance.

“Maybe it’s wholesome for the Bundesliga, additionally for German soccer, for one more crew to win,” mentioned Alonso, who received three Bundesliga titles with Bayern as a participant from 2015-17.

“It’s an amazing pleasure and we’ve to get pleasure from it. We’d like a bit extra time to grasp what we’ve achieved. Nevertheless it’s an excellent second and sure, we’ll see what occurs subsequent,” Alonso mentioned, referring to the opposite trophies that his crew can win this season.

“However now could be the time to rejoice.”

Historical past.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen are German campions for the primary ever time

Bayern Munich’s 11-year dominance of the #Bundesliga is damaged by Xabi Alonso’s Werkself. pic.twitter.com/ajpZdgH2Rj

— Matt Ford (@matt_4d) April 14, 2024

Victor Boniface – beginning a Bundesliga sport for the primary time since December due to harm – settled Leverkusen’s nerves with the opening aim from the penalty spot earlier than Granit Xhaka hit an audacious long-range shot to make it 2-0 with half an hour to go.

Bremen folded after that with substitute Wirtz scoring a aim similar to Xhaka’s, then one other on the counter within the 83rd minute, then a 3rd to finish the sport, his first profession hat trick.

Followers had already stormed onto the sector when Leverkusen scored its fourth aim with seven minutes to go, and the ultimate minutes had been performed in thick purple smoke from supporters’ pyrotechnics whereas gamers on Leverkusen’s bench clapped alongside to songs, danced and hugged each other.

The fifth aim within the ninetieth minute introduced extra followers onto the sector – a whole lot this time – and the referee ended the sport amid confusion and jubilation. Hundreds of supporters crowded the sector, waving flags, flares and cardboard copies of the Bundesliga trophy.

Leverkusen had lastly shed its status as perennial runner-up after 5 second-place finishes within the league and one within the Champions League.

The title places the highlight firmly on an industrial metropolis of slightly below 170,000, which has been overshadowed by bigger, extra well-known neighbours.

“Not in Cologne and Dusseldorf, no, we’re at house right here,” is the third line of the membership tune performed simply earlier than kick-off.

The membership began as a employees’ crew for the Bayer pharmaceutical large 120 years in the past and is a uncommon exception in Germany, the place most golf equipment are majority managed by members underneath the so-called 50+1 rule.