Bayer 04 Leverkusen: Dominating the Season with Unbeaten Form

Introduction

Over the last decade, Bayern Munich has dominated the Bundesliga, clinching 10 consecutive titles. The league has primarily seen competition between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, with RB Leipzig performing well in a few seasons but lacking consistency. In October 2022, Bayer 04 Leverkusen appointed Xabi Alonso as their manager when they were second last in the table. Under Alonso’s leadership, Leverkusen finished 6th last season, securing a spot in the Europa League. This season, however, Xabi Alonso has taken his team to new heights, leading them through an unbeaten run in both the league and European competitions. Leverkusen has not lost a single game all season, achieving a record 51-game unbeaten streak.

Let’s take a closer look at the key players and the tactics employed by Xabi Alonso this season:

Key Players

Florian Wirtz

In Xabi Alonso’s setup, Florian Wirtz plays primarily as a central attacking midfielder and often in a second striker role. Despite the presence of experienced names in the midfield like Granit Xhaka and Exequiel Palacios, Wirtz stands out at just 21 years old. He has demonstrated remarkable maturity and game intelligence throughout the season. Wirtz’s versatility allows him to operate effectively in various midfield roles, contributing both goals and assists. His role is characterized by his high football IQ, relentless work rate, and ability to find and exploit pockets of space with precise ball control and quick decision-making. His ability to perform under pressure further cements his status as a standout player for the team.

In the Bundesliga, Florian Wirtz is Bayer Leverkusen’s second-highest goal scorer and assist provider, with 11 goals and 11 assists. In the Europa League, he has also been prolific, scoring 4 goals and providing 4 assists.

Alejandro Grimaldo

Leverkusen made a strategic decision by signing Álex Grimaldo as a free agent. In Xabi Alonso’s setup, Grimaldo has excelled as a left wing-back, a role that perfectly complements his skills. His performance on the pitch has been outstanding both offensively and defensively. Offensively, Grimaldo’s exceptional pinpoint crossing ability and accuracy provide numerous opportunities for the forwards, while his pace and dribbling skills create overloads on the flanks. Defensively, he has shown excellent positioning and the ability to make crucial tackles and interceptions at the right moments, establishing himself as a vital player for the team.

In the Bundesliga, Álex Grimaldo has scored 10 goals and provided 13 assists, the highest by any defender. In the Europa League, he has contributed 2 goals and 5 assists to the team.

Tactical Analysis

Xabi Alonso uses tactics focused on high pressing and a compact defense. In his 3–4–2–1 formation, the fullbacks make overlapping runs along the flanks to create an overload during attacks. Alonso emphasizes possession-heavy football, intense pressing, and structural discipline.

While attacking, they play closely, attempting to overload one flank by moving a midfielder towards it, then switching the ball vertically to the other side of the pitch. The fullbacks make overlapping runs from the overloaded flank. Defensively, they maintain their shape in a 5–2–2–1 formation, with the wingbacks operating as fullbacks to form a back five. The defensive midfielders shield the back five in the center, and Wirtz drives the ball forward on counter-attacks.

Crucial Matches

Matchday 21 — Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich (3–0) :

In this match against Bayern, Xavi maintained his usual tactics with minor adjustments to the instructions. He started Stanisic ahead of Frimpong, who scored the opening goal for Leverkusen. Bayer quickly took a throw-in and crossed it across the goal, allowing Stanisic to tap it in easily. Bayern continued to attack but failed to convert their chances in the first half. At the start of the second half, Grimaldo drove the ball into the opposition box and linked up with Tella. A quick pass from Tella found Grimaldo again, who blasted his shot from close range. Towards the end of regular time, Bayern committed players forward for a corner, which gave an opportunity to Frimpong, who came on as a substitute in the second half. He skipped a tackle at the halfway line and curled the ball into the open goal.

This match was crucial for Bayer Leverkusen as they extended their lead to 5 points ahead of Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga table.

Europa League, Round of 16 Second Leg — Bayer Leverkusen vs Qarabag FK (3–2) :

Given Bayer Leverkusen’s impressive form in the Bundesliga and the group stage of the Europa League, expectations were high for their progression to the quarter-finals. The first leg ended in a 2–2 draw away, boosting their confidence even more for the home second leg.

In the second half of the second leg, Leverkusen lost concentration and conceded two goals within ten minutes, putting everyone on the edge of their seats. Frimpong scored five minutes after the second goal, but it wasn’t enough. In the first minute of injury time, Schick netted the equalizer, making it 4–4 on aggregate. Right at the end of injury time, Palacios delivered a superb ball into the box, and Schick headed it into the bottom-left corner to win it for Leverkusen.

They won the match dramatically over both legs, extending their unbeaten run.

The Road Ahead

This season, Bayer Leverkusen has been playing exceptional football. With a significant lead in the points table, they are aiming to win the Bundesliga title after 30 years. Xabi Alonso has implemented a system that could not only lead the team to the Bundesliga title but also make them strong contenders for the Europa League. Winning the Europa League would open up the possibility of competing in the Super Cup final as well.

What do you think — Is the Bayer Leverkusen unbeaten season better than the Arsenal’s invincibles?

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