Everything seems to be going perfectly for Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen at the moment.
With each passing week, it looks like the perennial runner-up team is shaking off a historic record. Neverkusen This time I tagged along so I could actually go and try it out.
The club has never won the Bundesliga, but has finished runners-up five times. They won his DfB Pokal only once, and in addition he lost in three finals, most famously in his 2002 Champions League final, where he lost to Real Madrid. That's it. that Jizo volley.
Leverkusen could have a 50-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga table, and long-suffering fans would be right to be wary until they mathematically cross that line. When we see heartbreak after heartbreak, we fall into a kind of fatalism, just waiting for the moment when the wheels will finally come off.
Friday night's 2-1 win against Mainz was heart-stopping for a few seconds. The moment seemed to have arrived. Granit Xhaka scored the opening goal just two minutes later, and after driving away to celebrate, he stopped his car and did an Oscar-worthy impression for a player who had just finished his hamster. Hop staggers. A painful expression.
The former Arsenal man played a pivotal role in Leverkusen's transformation into a winning machine. The best midfielder in the Bundesliga this season. A truly mature leader who is at the heart of everything they are building. He is a player we absolutely cannot afford to lose.
Cue Alonso gesturing to the physio on the touchline. I soon realized that this was all a well-orchestrated ruse. A wry smile appeared on the Basque coach's face as he realized that it was all a false alarm and the ship was sailing on to glory.
Xabi Alonso's reaction to Granit Xhaka's fake injury celebration
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But despite all the fun and games at the celebrations, both the Leverkusen manager and his star midfielder remain firmly focused on the task at hand.
Post-match media appearances didn't go off-script, with grounded answers straight from Football Manager's AI-generated stock answer playbook.
“We deserve to be in this position,” Xhaka said after the final whistle.
“We have a lot to lose as we are eight points behind Bayern in second place and currently have 11 points.However, if we continue to work day by day, game by game and stay positive, we can win.'' I am confident that we can continue to do so.”
“It wasn't the best game, but the three points are very important,” Alonso said.
“Enjoy your weekend and move on. You won't always play great.
“It was a very intense game. Mainz came with very good energy and we had to respect that. We were prepared, but it wasn't easy.”
Alonso continued to deny questions about his future, with Bayern Munich emerging as a potential suitor for him in the summer. This wasn't an act. You believe him when he says he is fully focused on Leverkusen's recovery.
And why isn't he? He stands on the pinnacle of greatness. Last night, his team led by 11 points in the Bundesliga summit clash. They have reached the semi-finals of the German Cup and are still the best team there. With a favorable draw against Qarabag in the Europa League, their match against Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool is likely to attract even more attention.
Leverkusen are the only remaining undefeated team in Europe. Last night they set a new German record for being undefeated in all competitions. Leverkusen may never be proven winners, but how can we not believe that multiple trophies are on the horizon?
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