Bayer Leverkusen’s record-breaking run to their first Bundesliga title was no fluke, as a 16-month plan came to fruition.
With five games remaining in the season, the team secured their first trophy in 31 years, breaking Bayern Munich’s 11-year hold on the Bundesliga title.
Sunday’s 5-0 home win over Werder Bremen extended Leverkusen’s Bundesliga unbeaten streak to 29 games, with 25 wins and four draws totaling 79 points.
Coach Xabi Alonso took over a struggling Leverkusen team in October 2022, with the team sitting second-bottom after eight Bundesliga games, their worst start to a season since 1979.
After a few months, it was clear that the Spaniard had successfully injected a winning mentality into his team, which raced up the table to finish sixth.
However, it was during that surge in form in late 2022 that Alonso and the club laid the groundwork for this season’s success.
With all eyes on the World Cup in Qatar, Leverkusen club officials met with Alonso to plan their transfer strategy and put it into action right away.
By July 2023, Leverkusen had assembled their full squad and began pre-season training, with no late additions in August or September, as is customary for most teams.
These transfers included experienced Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka, who added steel in midfield, Germany international Jonas Hofmann, Alejandro Grimaldo, who provided nine goals and 11 assists as an attacking left-back having joined on a free transfer, and 23-year-old Nigeria striker Victor Boniface.
Leverkusen took the season by storm from the start, racking up 11 wins in their first 12 league matches with Boniface seemingly scoring at will with 10 goals and seven assists until his injury in January while on international duty.
