Bayer Leverkusen: Will Xabi Alonso's side win an invincible treble? - BBC Sport (2024)

Bayer Leverkusen keep on making history.

Xabi Alonso's side have ended Bayern Munich's dominance of German football to win the Bundesliga, reached a first European final in more than two decades, and are on the longest unbeaten run since continental competition began.

Following their last-gasp 2-2 draw with Roma, Leverkusen are 49 matches unbeaten. This surpasses the previous record of 48 set by the Eusebio-led Benfica side between December 1963 and February 1965.

Their streak was already a record for a team from one of Europe's big five leagues - the Bundesliga, Premier League, Ligue 1, La Liga and Serie A.

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And if they can keep it going for just four more games then it could see them pull off arguably one of the greatest achievements in football history - an invincible treble.

With the league title wrapped up, they could still add the German Cup and Europa League to their trophy cabinet this season.

"You can't count us out, not even for a second," wing-back Jeremie Frimpong told TNT Sports after the aggregate victory over Roma.

"No-one gives up. Everyone knows that if we go down, we will get a goal."

On 22 May, Leverkusen will face Italian side Atalanta in the Europa League final at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

Hopes are high of a first European trophy in 36 years - and of keeping their unbeaten run going.

"You see the desire from the team, we didn't want to slow down. We wanted to score the next goal to keep going unbeaten, 49 times now. We are proud of it," Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka said.

"We have a lot of respect for Atalanta and first of all, we are happy to be in the final. We have time now to prepare and analyse, but we have some games to go still."

How does Leverkusen's incredible unbeaten run compare?

Alonso's side have been extending their record run since breaking the previous elite leagues mark of 44 games - set by Juventus in May 2012 - last month.

They made it 45 games unbeaten with the 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund, when they needed a 97th-minute equaliser by Josip Stanisic.

And Stanisic repeated the feat down to the minute when he cut inside from the right and scored low with his left foot to earn a 2-2 draw with Roma and send the BayArena crazy, Leverkusen fans and players alike.

Of their 49 undefeated games across all competitions, Leverkusen have won 40.

It means they have surpassed the record set by the great Benfica side of the 1960s, which was previously the longest unbeaten run since continental competitions such as the European Cup - later the Champions League - were introduced.

Leverkusen equalled it with a 5-1 thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt - and now stand alone.

Has anyone else claimed an invincible treble?

Winning a trophy treble of any sort in a season is an incredible and difficult achievement for any side, but to do it unbeaten takes it to another level.

Celtic memorably claimed a domestic treble in 2016-17 without losing a game but, as brilliant as that clean sweep was, they did taste defeat in the Champions League and went out at the group stage.

Ajax famously were unbeaten in the Eredivisie and Champions League in the 1994-95 season but had one defeat when they lost in the KNVB Cup.

Should Leverkusen get to the end of the season unbeaten then they will have produced a campaign to live long in the memory - and in the record books.

Image source, BBC Sport

Any more records to be broken?

Image source, Getty Images

Alonso's remarkable side are just two games away from going the entire league campaign unbeaten.

Leverkusen last suffered defeat in a competitive game on 27 May 2023, and they may yet challenge some other notable runs.

In terms of Europe's elite divisions, Arsenal went 49 league games undefeated from May 2003 to October 2004, taking in their 'Invincibles' season.

But Leverkusen would need to stay unbeaten deep into next season to reach that mark, and further still to beat the record for the 'top five' leagues, which is held by AC Milan.

Fabio Capello's 'Invincibili' did not lose in 58 consecutive Serie A games from May 1991 until March 1993.

Leaving it late - Leverkusen's last-ditch goals

Leverkusen have left it late on a number of occasions to keep their incredible run going.

Stanisic's goal against Roma was the 17th they have scored in the 90th minute or later across all competitions this season, equal with Liverpool as the most of any team in Europe.

"It really is a fairytale," former Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves told TNT Sports.

"It is really special. Something like this happens very very rarely, but to do it at the elite level [is incredible]. I think they are going to go unbeaten.

"Some things are just fate. I believe it is just written for this Bayer Leverkusen team to go unbeaten."

European glory on its way back?

This has been a long campaign for Leverkusen - with the pressure to win every game increasing as the end of the season draws closer, and that almost told in the second leg against Roma.

They missed numerous chances against the Italians, who took a 2-0 lead on the night through a pair of Leandro Paredes penalties.

A comical own goal by Gianluca Mancini put Leverkusen back ahead in the tie but still 2-1 behind in the second leg, and they looked set to sacrifice their unbeaten run for a place in the Europa League final.

But ultimately Leverkusen were able to have both, and double the reason for the players to streak on to the pitch and celebrate at the final whistle.

Leverkusen now face Atalanta in a first European final since they lost to Real Madrid in the 2002 Champions League showpiece.

Bayer Leverkusen: Will Xabi Alonso's side win an invincible treble? - BBC Sport (2024)

FAQs

Is Leverkusen undefeated in all competitions? ›

Bayer Leverkusen are the first team to complete an entire Bundesliga season without defeat after a remarkable 2023/24 campaign that also saw Germany's new champions set a European record of 51 games in a row without loss across all competitions.

Has Bayer Leverkusen ever won a trophy? ›

Bayer Leverkusen were promoted to the Bundesliga in 1979 and won their first top-flight honour, the UEFA Cup, in 1988, then the DFB Pokal in 1993. The club infamously finished runners-up across three competitions in 2002, including the UEFA Champions League.

What is the longest unbeaten run in English football? ›

The actual nickname of the Preston team was the "Old Invincibles" but both versions have been in use although Arsenal is the only team to ever finish a 38 match season undefeated.

Which club has the longest unbeaten run in football history? ›

The all-time unbeaten run record in football history

However, Celtic currently hold the all-time record of 66 games unbeaten - achieving this feat from 1915 to 1917. Union SG are second with an unbeaten streak of 60 games (1933-1935), while Al-Ahly are third on 55 games unbeaten (2004-2005).

Can Leverkusen go invincible? ›

Bayer Leverkusen became the first team to go unbeaten through an entire Bundesliga season in winning the competition for the first time in their history and ending Bayern Munich's 11-year reign as champions of Germany.

Can Bayer Leverkusen win the treble? ›

They have already won the Bundesliga by 17 points, and did so without being beaten. Come out on top in their last two fixtures of the campaign - the Europa League and DFB-Pokal finals - and they will have complete a remarkable treble.

Who broke Arsenal's Invincibles record? ›

Arsenal's 'Invincibles' famously saw their 49-unbeaten streak ended by Manchester United in a controversial match back in 2004.

Who is the youngest ever Premier League player? ›

Ethan Nwaneri became the youngest Premier League player ever when he appeared for Arsenal in September 2022 versus Brentford. Here, we look at the youngest players in Premier League history.

Has Real Madrid ever gone unbeaten in la liga? ›

The draw against Villarreal means they have now gone 31 games unbeaten in the league. Real Madrid set a new league record. Ancelotti's side extended their unbeaten run in this competition at the Estadio de la Cerámica and have now gone 31 games unbeaten.

What is the unbeatable record for Leverkusen? ›

Leverkusen, which won the title in April to end Bayern Munich's 11-year run, is the first team to complete an unbeaten season in any of Europe's top five leagues since Juventus in the Italian Serie A in 2011-12. Leverkusen hasn't lost a game in any competition all season, a record 51-game unbeaten run.

Who has the longest unbeaten run at home 9 years? ›

The record stands at 150 matches (125 wins and 25 draws). José Mourinho, with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid, faced 107 different teams that couldn't overcome him. A total time of 9 years without losing a single home match.

Who has the most wins without a loss in football history? ›

AC Milan's record of 58 games without a defeat is still the longest unbeaten run in football. Bayern Munich feature second on the list with a 53-match unbeaten run.

Are Leverkusen unbeaten? ›

Leverkusen's unbeaten run had lasted 51 games and 361 days, stretching back to a 3-0 defeat against VfL Bochum in May 2023. "It wasn't lost in terms of attitude, it was a football thing," Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso said. "It happens, it's football, today wasn't meant to be. They were better."

What is the record of Leverkusen in all competitions? ›

No previous champion had to wait so long for their first title. 51 - Leverkusen's unbeaten run in all competitions this season now reads some 51 matches - a new record among teams across Europe's top five leagues. 89 - Leverkusen's goal tally this season was a club record, beating their 80 from 2021/22.

How many games has Leverkusen undefeated? ›

Of their 49 undefeated games across all competitions, Leverkusen have won 40. It means they have surpassed the record set by the great Benfica side of the 1960s, which was previously the longest unbeaten run since continental competitions such as the European Cup - later the Champions League - were introduced.

Has a team ever gone undefeated in all competitions? ›

No association football team has ever achieved a perfect season across all competitions entered, but some have achieved a perfect record in their respective domestic league competitions, although that feat itself is rare.

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