Bayer Leverkusen won the first title of the German football season on Saturday: they were the "herbstmeister" (autumn champions), who topped the table in the middle of the season. Although the naming of this title is somewhat strange and unofficial, it does have a symbolic meaning and is seen as an auspicious sign. A team that can do half the job is widely seen as having the ability to make it to the end, especially since two-thirds of the seasons since the Bundesliga was founded in 1963 have actually achieved such results. Bayern Munich has renewed Muller's contract until 2025
Bayer Leverkusen are a bit of a maverick in this regard. In the famous trifecta in 2002 and in 2009, they were twice at the top of the league after the first half of the season, but failed to hold on to the top of the table. Their long-standing lack of consistency has become a myth in the Bundesliga, giving birth to the dreaded nicknames "neverkusen" and "vizekusen".
Historical precedent explains why the club's ** don't want to make a fuss about the herbstmeisterschaft (autumn champions) on Saturday. "We don't think about this at all," insisted sporting director Simon Rolfes. But winning all three points with Argentine midfielder Exequil Palacios' 94th-minute goal in Augsburg was a big deal in itself, as evidenced by the frantic celebrations that blew at the final whistle. 'It's rare that you get to experience moments like this, maybe only at home,' said midfielder Jonas Hoffman with a smile. "I'm still in a heartbeat. ”
Manager Xavi Alonso reacted strongly to the goal-saving goal and was eager to try it with confidence. After the game, he calmly talked about "enjoying (winning) a little bit" again before turning his attention to next week's game against RB Leipzig.
Goalkeeper Lucas Hradecki said a last-minute victory was "always more fun than a 3-0 or 4-0 victory", but that one was especially precious. Bayer Leverkusen left for chilly Bavaria without key players Amine Adley, Odilon Kosunu and Edmund Tapsoba, all of whom played in the Africa Cup of Nations, and injured striker Victor Boniface. With Florian Wirtz not fully fit to start, Alonso risked resting defender Jonathan Tahu, who was under the threat of a suspension. The visitors controlled the game on a bumpy pitch but couldn't find their way back of the net. The match looked destined to end in a disappointing draw, calling into question Bayer Leverkusen's resilience, but a goal from World Cup winner Palacios turned the tide immediately. "The morale, commitment and mentality of this team is a miracle," Hoffman said.
Palacios' goal could play a key role in the eventual outcome, and it certainly reinforces the stereotype of this team of making frequent mistakes late in the season. As each week passed, Alonso's character as multiple winners seemed to influence them more and more. Their staggering 45 points in 17 games have only been surpassed twice, once in 2013-14 and 2015-16 when Alonso was in midfield.
In an interview with Sky Germany, striker Dimittal Berbatov said on Sunday that Bayer Leverkusen could go one step further and achieve a feat that even Pep Guardiola could not achieve in Munich. "They are the strongest team in Europe at the moment," said the 42-year-old striker. "I think they can be unbeaten all season. ”
Can they? Bayern could certainly have won the league title in March in Pep Guardiola's first season at Bayern, but he made a big rotation in the final weeks with an eye on the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid (who lost 4-1 on aggregate to Espanyol). Bayern lost 1-0 in Augsburg and 0-3 at home to Borussia Dortmund.
It is unlikely that one will see Alonso make the same mistake, but Bayer Leverkusen's ambitions could have a detrimental effect on them, as they did against Bayern 10 years ago. As favourites to win the German Cup and a firm contender in the Europa League, they are likely to play a lot of games that will put their players to the limit physically and mentally, including a trip to Leipzig from this week.