“Neverkusen”. This moniker has been assigned to Bundesliga’s Bayer 04 Leverkusen, stemming from their recurring pattern of being runners-up — falling inches short of ultimate glory.
The team has flirted with the top spot quite frequently, especially between 1997 and 2002. While Bayer 04 Leverkusen has clinched the DFB Pokal once, they have been finalists three times. In the Champions League, they were runners-up once, while they came second in Bundesliga five times.
After consistently fluctuating within the top 6 in recent years, except for the disappointing 2016-17 season where they finished 12th, Leverkusen is currently leading the Bundesliga table. Credit is due to Leverkusen’s gaffer Xabi Alonso, an ex-Bayern Munich star. Despite his limited coaching experience, which includes stints with teams like the Real Madrid youth team and Real Sociedad B, Leverkusen finally look ready to achieve the feat that seemed impossible in the recent past.
Bayer Leverkusen was established in 1904 in an initiative that originated within the employees from the German pharmaceutical company Bayer AG. The company was headquartered in Leverkusen, which inspired the club’s name.
While the majority of Bundesliga clubs adhere to the 50+1 rule (club’s members retain overall control via owning at least 50% + 1 of the club’s shares), exceptions like VfL Wolfsburg and Leverkusen exist. This is because investors with over 20 years of involvement in a club can be exempted from the rule.
The club played 3rd and 4th division football during its initial years and then moved on to the upper leagues, playing in the 2nd division Regionalliga West, better known today by the name 2. Bundesliga. Leverkusen finally secured a place in the Bundesliga in the 1979-80 season.
1997-2002 were the years that the world saw Leverkusen becoming the runners up constantly. The coaches that led them through these years were Christoph Daum, Rudi Voller, Berti Vogts and Klaus Toppmoller. Daum especially was held in high regard by the team and someone they didn’t want to let go when he was called to coach the German national football team back to glory after their devastating loss in the Euro 2000.
The club have danced on the edge of glory’s doorstep but always struggled to seize the same. In the 2001-02 season, they were five points clear of Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga table. They were also set to play the DFB-Pokal final against FC Schalke 04, and challenge Real Madrid in the Champions League. The prospect of a historic treble beckoned. However, the events in the following days were, to say the least, disappointing.
Given the lead, they were a few matches away from securing the Bundesliga title. On Matchday 32, Bayer faced Werder Bremen, but a 2-1 loss kept their table score unchanged from Matchday 31. On Matchday 33, a disappointing 1-0 loss to relegation-threatened 1. FC Nurnberg, courtesy of Marek Nikl’s header, ensued. Consecutive losses by Leverkusen gave Dortmund a one-point lead. A 4-3 win against Hamburger SV secured Dortmund the 2001-02 Bundesliga title.
The disappointment deepened in the days that followed. They lost the DFB-Pokal final 4-2 , and then the UEFA Champions League final 2-1.
The following year Leverkusen once again yielded the DFB-Pokal to Werder Bremen, losing 1-0. In 2020, they faced a similar fate yet again, going down 4-2 against Bayern Munich. Leverkusen’s only DFB-Pokal success came in 1993 when they won 1-0 against Hertha.
Alonso’s arrival
Inviting Xabi Alonso, renowned as one of the best midfielders of his generation, to coach Leverkusen appears to be a game-changer. Sporting manager Simon Rofles’ bold choice seems to have worked, despite Alonso’s limited managerial credentials and the team’s unfavourable position. “Every decision has risks, but it also can create chances,” said Rofles. Alonso’s arrival to the Bundesliga in October 2022, rechristened Leverkusen into a club to be feared.
Swiss coach Gerardo Seoane left the Spaniard with a team struggling in 17th place, fighting to avoid relegation. Alonso worked his magic and brought the team up to the 6th position by the end of the 2022-23 season.
Leverkusen’s head coach Xabi Alonso poses for a photo with a fan | AP
Alonso is no stranger to the Bundesliga. In 2014, he signed a two-year contract with Bayern Munich before hanging his boots in 2017. He’s played in La Liga with Real Sociedad and Real Madrid, and also in the Premier League with Liverpool, donning the number 14 shirt. Alonso boasts a trophy collection surpassing Bayer Leverkusen’s entire history. Notably, he clinched the FIFA World Cup with Spain in 2010, secured three Bundesliga titles with Bayern, won the European Championship twice with Spain, and added two Champions League victories with Liverpool and Real Madrid.
Alonso’s first task was to change the formation. Seoane’s 4-2-3-1 was not doing the side any good, and Alonso adopted the 3-4-2-1 and sometimes opted for the more conventional 3-4-3.
Alonso’s enchanting contribution lies in creating space for the team. Focused on fortifying possession at the back, his primary objective is to facilitate swift ball movement towards the front, ultimately opening up scoring opportunities. The team excels in both counterattacks and defensive strategies.
Lukas Hradecky — the captain, Odilon Kossounou, Alejandro Grimaldo, Jeremie Frimpong, Jonathan Tah, Edmond Tapsoba, Jonas Hofmann, Florian Wirtz, Exequiel Palacios, Granit Xhaka and Victor Boniface have made the most appearances this 2023-24 season under Alonso. After 16 rounds, the team is currently four points ahead of Alonso’s former club.
Grimaldo, Hofmann, Xhaka, and Boniface, newcomers this season, are already leaving a mark with commendable performances, earning them prominent spots in the headlines. Left-back Grimaldo holds a crucial role in the team. His versatility not only contributes to greater ball possession but also facilitates swift attacks. Former Borussia Monchengladbach player Jonas Hofmann plays as an attacking midfielder but often falls back and defends when the opposition has the ball. The experienced Xhaka’s exceptional skills lie in his perpetual openness for a pass and a keen eye for his teammates. The former Arsneal captain’s adept field scanning and game reading skilfully carve out space, enabling the ball to elegantly flow among players.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo | AFP
Newcomer Boniface adds to the team’s dynamics with his rapid sprints. He has scored 10 goals so far and provided 7 assists in 16 matches this season; an incredible feat by any standard.
Florian Wirtz has been doing great with his new teammates. He is slowly becoming one of the best footballers that Germany has to offer. Wirtz’s waltz with the ball has gotten better under his new coach, with 5 goals and 7 assists in 16 appearances this season.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Nigerian forward Victor Boniface | AFP
From relegation to eyeing league triumph, in 15 months Alonso seems to have become the man to finally lift Leverkusen’s curse. Could this season finally be the one generations of Leverkusen fans have been painstakingly waiting for, or will they be the defending champions of the title “Neverkusen”?
