Following Bayer Leverkusen as a full-time journalist has been like a journey on a curler coaster, since I began masking the Werkself for Bild in 2008.
Bayer Leverkusen all the time had good groups and proficient gamers. Travelling with Leverkusen by means of Europe turned regular, and nonetheless it’s. However the large dream – Meister, champions – by no means got here true.
When Xabi Alonso was appointed as the brand new supervisor, we had simply come again from Porto, Leverkusen misplaced 0-2 within the Champions League and have been dealing with a relegation battle. Alonso took over from Gerardo Seoane in seventeenth place: the remaining is historical past.
Bayer Leverkusen smashed the ‘Neverkusen’ tag in model
As a reporter you additionally really feel a bit like a champion, whenever you observe a membership each day, sport by sport. However with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund within the league, the possibilities of witnessing a significant success like this feels virtually unimaginable.
However Xabi Alonso, CEO Fernando Carro and the CEO of Sport, Simon Rolfes, turned an entire membership and a complete metropolis into one thing new – into a spot with a successful mentality.
April 14, 2024, marked the start of a brand new period in German soccer, after Bayern had gained the earlier 11 titles in a row. When Leverkusen smashed Werder Bremen 5-0, the entire metropolis, wearing black and purple for weeks, went loopy. The outdated ‘Neverkusen’ label was gone.
This could function a great instance for different golf equipment of their annual quest to compete towards Bayern within the title race. See, it’s potential. After all, it was fascinating to see how Leverkusen managed to win the first-ever unbeaten Bundesliga season. Late targets turned their trademark. The story of Laterkusen is one other chapter of this unforgettable season.
Leverkusen have waited so lengthy for silverware. In 1993 they gained the DFB-Pokal, making it 31 years of damage – after which 2024 got here with two main trophies: The Meisterschale and the DFB-Pokal which sealed their first-ever home double.
Even the Supercup, boycotted by the membership’s ultras, now shines shiny from the trophy cupboard on the entrance of the BayArena. They got here to shut to a fourth title as nicely, dropping out to Atalanta within the last of the Europa League…
For me, who coated 46 of the 53 matches 2023/24, from Sandhausen to Heidenheim, from Baku to Dublin, it was the craziest time I’ve ever skilled as a journalist.
Pippo Arens is a reporter for German tabloid Bild, and has been masking Bayer Leverkusen since 2008.
