Bayer Leverkusen turned the primary staff to go unbeaten by a complete Bundesliga season in profitable the competitors for the primary time of their historical past and ending Bayern Munich’s 11-year reign as champions of Germany.
However the extraordinary season loved by Xabi Alonso’s facet is just not over but. They face Atalanta within the Europa League ultimate in Dublin on Wednesday earlier than trying to clinch the German Cup after they tackle Kaiserslautern on Saturday.
They’re simply two video games away from an historic treble – an unbeaten treble. On this unique interview with German soccer legend Jurgen Klinsmann, he discusses how they did it, why it was so vital for the Bundesliga, and what may occur subsequent…
Did Leverkusen shock German soccer?
“I think it has been a Bundesliga season that nobody expected beforehand. With this run by Bayer Leverkusen and Xabi Alonso’s team, everybody was hugely surprised, positively surprised, and was taken on that ride in a certain way.
“As a result of each week you thought they have been going to lose their first sport, they’ll lose one. After which they equalise within the 97th minute, 98th minute, a centesimal minute or they scored the profitable objective within the final second, all this stuff.
“They went on this journey and it appears to not finish. But it surely has been such a breath of contemporary air for Germany, for all of the Bundesliga followers, for all of the soccer followers in that nation. After 10 years of getting Bayern Munich profitable the Bundesliga it was about time somebody made a change.
“Bayer Leverkusen did that and did that in such a unbelievable approach, such an attacking model, filled with vitality, that they took alongside all of the followers – possibly not the Bayern Munich followers, however the remainder of the followers have been all behind Bayer Leverkusen. They stored their fingers crossed for them.
“And now, the story has not ended yet because they can still win the Europa League and they can also win the German cup, which for us in Germany is as big as the FA Cup. It is a big deal. Probably the DFB-Pokal and the FA Cup are very similar.
“They will win that one towards a second-division staff in Kaiserslautern, which clearly was at all times a first-division staff, however that’s there to seize.
“And then they have the Europa League final against Atalanta Bergamo, a very good team, a very strong team, a very uncomfortable team to play but they have played so far so go so why not go for all three?”
One of many biggest ever seasons?
“Yeah, I would say so. Obviously, if you ever have a run throughout the entire season unbeaten that is already happening very rarely. It happened to Arsenal many years ago. It is something very special and nobody expected it really.
“However in a sure approach now it previously couple of years, how they’ve constructed with the soccer gamers, they have been very fortunate with Xabi Alonso, how he related with the membership so properly. Nonetheless a really younger coach and related with that youthful technology in order that communication appears simply good.
“But the team was built over the years by Rudi Voller, who is now the sporting director of the German FA. Step by step they found one piece after another and some talent that nobody could have expected would rise to the level of a Jude Bellingham.
“With Florian Wirtz, they’ve a expertise who might be one of many large surprises of this European Championship. They introduced [Granit] Xhaka in from Arsenal and he fitted in because the chief of that group within the midfield, working your entire present there.
“They have a strong defensive line so it just feels like it is all falling into place. The puzzle that they created and put together over the last four or five years now, has come together to the highest level possible and made this run possible. It is a fantastic story, a fairytale story that they are still living and we are all curious now how they will finish it off.”
Can Leverkusen’s success proceed?
“I think so. It is not expected that they run through an entire year unbeaten again and win the title again but they are absolutely capable of competing eye-to-eye with Bayern Munich again and challenge them again.
“For certain, you’ll be able to count on Bayern Munich to return into the switch market and they’re going to add a few items to their squad with the intention to catch Bayer Leverkusen now as a result of they’re offended and when Bayern Munich are offended they go into the switch market and do one thing about it.
“Usually, they do it with the two or three best players of their opponent and if they cannot catch them, they go after the coach. But Xabi Alonso, as you know, has said he is going to stay at Bayer Leverkusen, at least right now.
“That’s unbelievable as a result of it offers them the chance to provide it one other strive within the Bundesliga but additionally see how they’ll now survive within the Champions League, within the new format of the Champions League. That’s one thing fantastic for Bundesliga followers to sit up for and see the way it will go subsequent season.”