The New York Times’ Rory Smith pointed out that “Leverkusen has illuminated the European season like no other team in winning its first German championship, after 120 years of trying. And it has also overtaken Benfica as the owner of the longest unbeaten run in European soccer since World War I."
Top U.S. sports outlet The Athletic wrote "for 54 games, Bayer 04 held the world’s attention... aside from the flowing football, the growth of Xabi Alonso, the flagging careers coming back to life (Granit Xhaka, Jonas Hofmann, Alex Grimaldo) and new stars being born (Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Victor Boniface), it all just looked so much fun!"
World's leading business paper from the UK, Financial Times, wrote that Bayer Leverkusen's impressive performance this season will be "hailed as a chance to boost Bundesliga’s global appeal" while its U.S. counterpart the Wall Street Journal labeled Leverkusen "the team that forgot how to lose" with a headline last week as it pointed to Bayer 04's historic 51-match unbeaten streak.
The Guardian wrote that there is likely more to come: "The double is just the start of the journey for evolving Bayer Leverkusen." Continued writer Andy Brassell: "Alonso’s side have been a juggernaut, trampling all in their way and, on the occasions they have found themselves behind, eventually reeling in their opponents with increasing inevitability. They have transformed Germany’s and the continent’s expectations of them, and their expectations of themselves."
So continued many other top sports dailies across Europe. "Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen completes the double in a spectacular season," wrote Spain's leading sports journal Marca, while France's L'Equipe wrote that "Bayer Leverkusen put an exclamation point on its historic season by capturing the double."
"Thanks to a fireball from Xhaka in the 17th minute, Xabi Alonso's men made up for the defeat in the Europa League final and ended the season with the double," said Corriere dello Sport in Italy.
CBS Sports (USA) wrote "the first German double winners to go through an entire domestic campaign without defeat. That there was no Europa League title to go with it should barely dull the triumph for a club that has so often borne witness to the glory of others."
Said ESPN soccer insider Alejandro Moreno after the season concluded: "now Bayer 04 Leverkusen have become the talk of the town, the talk of the league, the talk of Europe! They are attracting the attention from everywhere."
The Werkself host VfL Bochum at the BayArena on Bundesliga Matchday 27. Today's game, on Friday 28 March, kicks off at 20:30 CET and there are several events planned. The matchday news on the clash with the team from Castroper Straße.
Show more
VfL Bochum are unbeaten in their last three Bundesliga away matches. The club from the Ruhr inflicted the first home defeat on league leaders Bayern Munich at the start of the month. The Blue and Whites visit the BayArena on Friday night, 28 March (kick-off: 20:30 CET) in the opening fixture on Bundesliga Matchday 27. And the team led by coach Dieter Hecking believe they also stand a chance against last season's double winners. Not least because their top striker is available again. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show more
The Werkself returned to the training ground at the start of the week after a short rest during the international break. Head coach Xabi Alonso welcomed back six players from international duty for the session on Wednesday morning in preparation for the Bundesliga home game against VfL Bochum on Friday, 28 March (kick-off: 20:30 CET).
Show more
Twelve Werkself players are in action with their national teams in the current international break. Some of them are playing in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals, others in qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Read on for the blog on international fixtures involving Bayer 04 players.
Show more
