They’ve often gotten close. In 2000, when an own goal from Michael Ballack in Unterhaching denied a title that looked certain. Or 2002, when they were well-placed to win three competitions at once – but ended up without triumphing in any of them. But this year, everything seems to be different. Games that already appeared lost were turned around, mistakes by their competitors are mercilessly punished – Bayer 04 Leverkusen are well on their way to winning the championship. The club are the only top-flight representative in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals, while West Ham United await in the Europa League quarter-finals. It is set to be a golden summer in Leverkusen.
Xabi Alonso’s team boast a 10-point lead over second-placed Bayern. By the time of their show of strength in the 3-0 victory against the record champions at the start of February at the latest, Bayer 04 have been clear favourites for the title. No club has spurned such a big lead in the final eight matches of a Bundesliga campaign.
Xabi Alonso, who has long since been in talks over the managerial positions at Liverpool and Bayern that will become vacant in the summer, has a team that does not get unsettled by any setback. Summer signings Granit Xhaka, Alejandro Grimaldo and Victor Boniface have been phenomenal, while Florian Wirtz, already one of the world’s best in his position at the age of 20, has also been a success.
The Werkself have played 38 competitive matches so far this season, winning 33 and drawing five. This unprecedented run has so far surpassed even the season by Arsenal’s “Invincibles”, who stayed unbeaten in the 2003/04 Premier League but lost three matches in the Champions League and also tasted defeat in the cup competitions.
TSG could therefore become the first club to get the better of the Werkself this season. Hoffenheim even had more of the chances in the reverse fixture, which Leverkusen won 3-2, but Bayer had – as has so often been the case this season – efficiency and the rub of the green on their side. But as Hermann Gerland said: “Always having luck is a skill.”