“Bochum, we have a problem!” – The Werkself Hits 50 and Stays Unbeaten

With a resounding 5-0 victory against VfL Bochum, Bayer 04 Leverkusen extends its impressive streak, remaining unbeaten in 50 consecutive competitive matches. A game full of drama and twists, this match further cements the Werkself as an unstoppable force on the pitch. The evening at the sold-out Vonovia Ruhrstadion started promisingly for Bochum fans but ended in a football debacle that few could have foreseen. As early as the 15th minute, Felix Passlack’s professional foul led to his team’s early reduction to ten men—a clear turning point that shattered Bochum’s plans.

After a bold start by Bochum and an early crossbar hit by Granit Xhaka, it was Patrik Schick who opened the scoring. Just before halftime, Victor Boniface confidently converted a penalty to make it 2-0 at the break. The show continued in the second half: Amine Adli, Josip Stanisic, and Alejandro Grimaldo sealed the final 5-0 score. A true offensive onslaught by the Werkself, sending a clear message with this performance.

Xabi Alonso once again demonstrated his golden touch with his rotation strategy. He made eight changes compared to the Europa League semi-final against AS Roma. Notably, Arthur, who provided two assists, and the striking duo Schick and Boniface, who both scored, seamlessly integrated and showcased their class. At the post-match press conference, Xabi Alonso expressed satisfaction and emphasized the significance of the early red card for the course of the game. “After the red card, the game was different. We are satisfied with the result. Today’s victory was important.”

Amine Adli also had every reason to be happy: “I am very happy with the win and my goal. It is an important victory. We will continue and prepare well for Saturday.” Jonathan Tah, who played his 350th competitive match for Bayer 04, emphasized the team’s unwavering motivation: “We don’t go on the field saying we just don’t want to lose. We go on the field to win every game.”

The media were unanimous: the early red card was the game’s turning point. “Red card as turning point” headlined kicker, and FAZ spoke of a “severe and decisive setback” for Bochum. The Rheinische Post particularly highlighted the Werkself’s impressive streak, and Bild joked, “He (Xabi Alonso, ed.) is only 42 and already celebrates his 50th!” With the 5-0 victory in Bochum, Bayer 04 Leverkusen set a historic milestone: for the first time since FC Bayern Munich, a Bundesliga club has remained unbeaten in all away league matches of a season. With 29 to 3 shots on goal and over 60 percent possession, the Werkself dominated impressively.

The focus now shifts to the season finale against FC Augsburg. On Saturday, May 18, Schwarz-Rot will host Augsburg at the BayArena, aiming to crown the season with another victory and receive the championship trophy. After the match, fans and team celebrated the 50th unbeaten game in a row—with golden balloons and exuberant mood. A fitting end to a memorable evening for all Bayer 04 fans!

Drama, goals and a little bit of luck: Leverkusen's road to Dublin

In the epic stoppage-time operetta that only Bayer Leverkusen can stage, the Werkself fought their way into the Europa League final with a nerve-wracking 2:2 draw against AS Roma. What a performance in the BayArena! Thanks to a mixture of unwavering will, an own goal by the Romans and Josip Stanisic's last-second heroics, the dream of the treble lives on. Dublin, here we come!

The starting position before the second leg was promising: after the 2:0 win in the first leg, Bayer were the clear favourites. But football wouldn't be football if everything went according to plan. The Romans, led by Romelu Lukaku, set the tone early on and forced Bayer into action. Despite a number of chances in the first half, Leverkusen went into the break 1-0 down thanks to a Leandro Paredes penalty.

The second half developed into a thriller. Paredes converted another penalty and suddenly the comfortable lead from the first leg was gone. But Bayer remained unfazed and responded with the precision of Swiss clockwork. A curious scene led to the equaliser: a corner from Grimaldo was deflected into his own net by the unfortunate Gianluca Mancini. The equaliser in stoppage time was the icing on the cake: Josip Stanisic scored after an assist from Granit Xhaka and sent the BayArena shaking.

The joy after the final whistle was immeasurable. Granit Xhaka thanked the fans for their tireless support, while last-minute hero Stanisic described the moment as ‘indescribable’. Coach Xabi Alonso was proud of his team: ‘I saw in the boys’ eyes that they believed they could turn this game around. Now we have the big goal of winning the three titles.’

With this draw, Bayer 04 set a new European record: 49 consecutive competitive matches without defeat! This impressive run broke the previous record set by Benfica Lisbon in the 1963/64 season, meaning that ‘Last-Minute-Kusen’ remain invincible and are fully motivated going into the final against Atalanta Bergamo.

Before heading to Dublin, there is another highlight on the programme: the Bundesliga away match at VfL Bochum. A place where Bayer suffered their last defeat last season. A good omen? We shall see! After that, the home game against FC Augsburg awaits, where the Werkself will finally receive the championship trophy.

Bayer Leverkusen's journey this season has been nothing short of extraordinary. With a mixture of talent, fighting spirit and a bit of luck, the team has made history. Dublin awaits us, and the fans can dream - of the treble and more.

Five-pack on the Main: Leverkusen's goal parade leaves Frankfurt in awe

In a season that looks more like a marathon, Bayer 04 Leverkusen once again put in a sprint that would make even Usain Bolt jealous. Our boys from the Werkself sent Eintracht Frankfurt home with a resounding 5:1 - or rather, made them look old at home.

A sunny day in Frankfurt, 58,000 spectators and a match statistic that has more glamour than the Frankfurt skyline at night. That's the stuff football dreams are made of, especially when you walk off the pitch as the clear winner in the end. It all started so unspectacularly, as you would expect from a city known for its banks and not its football. But after just 12 minutes, Granit Xhaka silenced the stadium with a goal - except, of course, for the 5,600 Bayer fans travelling with them, whose cheers could probably be heard as far away as Leverkusen.

The brief equaliser by Hugo Ekitiké in the 32nd minute briefly lifted the mood, but only served as a reminder that Frankfurt is not a place for sightseeing. Patrik Schick promptly came up with the right response, heading the ball home before the break to restore the lead. The second half? A real firework display from our Werkself. Palacios scored a penalty, Frimpong and Boniface took the score to an embarrassing 5:1 for Frankfurt. Considering that Frimpong and Boniface came off the bench, isn't that a luxury problem?

Xabi Alonso, our boss on the sidelines, had to watch the whole thing from the stands due to his yellow card suspension. Did he like that? Well, given the result, he's probably almost forgotten about his yellow card. Eight changes from the last UEFA Europa League match against AS Roma showed that our squad is not only deep, but also wide. Everyone wants to, everyone can, and when they are allowed to, they show it.

This away win allows us to continue dreaming of a season without defeat. The upcoming semi-final second leg of the Europa League against AS Roma and the next Bundesliga matchday at VfL Bochum are the next stops in the Leverkusen success story. Meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt will have to digest the shock - not every day on the Main is sunny, especially not when the Werkself are in town.

So let's stay tuned to see what the next chapters in our never-ending saga will look like. One thing is certain: it will be magical, it will be legendary - it will be Bayer 04!

Roman empire conquered: Leverkusen's triumph at the Olimpico!

The aroma of great football nights was omnipresent in the Stadio Olimpico when Bayer 04 Leverkusen met AS Roma. What a night, what a game! Bayer not only underpinned its ambitions for the final in Dublin with a 2:0 triumph, but also wrote a piece of football history.

The Werkself showed a mature, controlled performance right from the start. They took control early on in the game, despite the high pressing of the Romans. While Rome hit the crossbar with their first big chance through Romelu Lukaku, Leverkusen did better: Florian Wirtz, who not only scored a goal that evening but also set a new personal record in the UEFA Europa League, put the Werkself ahead.

The real highlight of the game, however, was Robert Andrich's moment of magic. Almost a year after breaking his metatarsal in the same stadium, he made it 2-0 with a brilliant long-range shot, a goal as sweet as the revenge Andrich served up in the place where he once experienced such bitter moments.

After the game, Xabi Alonso praised his team's disciplined and mature performance. The Spaniard emphasised the importance of the defence, which allowed Leverkusen to create many of their own chances. Granit Xhaka, who was already looking ahead to the second leg in Leverkusen, also emphasised the importance of the two goals scored for the upcoming encounter.

The press was full of praise: Wirtz and Andrich were hailed as the protagonists on Leverkusen's road to the final. The "Rheinische Post" and "Bild" even said that Leverkusen had opened the door to the final wide open.

A look into the near future shows that the Werkself have no time to rest on their laurels. Eintracht Frankfurt await them in the Bundesliga next Sunday before the decisive second leg against Rome. But with the performance on show and the return to Leverkusen for the second leg, fans should be confident that their team will keep the dream of Dublin alive.

Next week will show whether Leverkusen can capitalise on the momentum and fulfil the hopes of all black and red. But one thing is certain: the spirit of Rome will live on in the minds of the players and fans - as a sweet memory of a night in which Bayer 04 not only won a football match, but also wrote a piece of history once again.