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Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen will face long-suffering Bochum on Sunday, the site of their last league defeat dating back to May 2023, the final day of last season.
At the time, even the most positive Leverkusen fan could have predicted how bright the next 12 months would have been for Xabi Alonso’s side.
With only two major trophies in their history before the start of this season, Leverkusen are on course to achieve a remarkable treble, having qualified for the Europa League final and the German Cup.
But despite their season, Leverkusen’s hopes of becoming the first team to go unbeaten in the Bundesliga will face a real challenge on Sunday.
Bochum are at home, having inflicted defeat on Bayern Munich in February that took Thomas Tuchel’s job.
In May 2023, Alonso’s revolution is already in full swing. The Spaniard took charge of relegation-threatened Leverkusen in October 2022 but stopped the bleeding and put his side on course for European qualification.
On the final matchday, Leverkusen travelled to neighbours Bochum with the desire to win or draw to secure a Europa League spot, having lost just once in the league since February.
For Bochum, the scenario is dire: only a win could get them out of the relegation quagmire.
Leverkusen winger Amine Adli saw red after just 8 minutes and Bochum led 2-0 at half-time, adding a third in the dying minutes to move up to 14th.
Bochum’s thrilling 4-3 win over Union Berlin on Sunday puts them in a better position than last season, but a win will secure top-flight football next season, regardless of other results.
Union, who played Champions League runners-up Real Madrid in December, are one point ahead of defeat and will play in Cologne on Saturday.
The Berliners will have to beat 16th-placed Mainz striker at Dortmund in the relegation play-offs.
On Sunday, Bayern, who are licking their wounds after a questionable Champions League semi-final exit to Real Madrid on Wednesday, host a resurgent Wolfsburg.
Winger Jamie Leweling, on loan to Stuttgart from Union Berlin, has had the honour of being one of the Bundesliga’s successes for the past two seasons.
While Leweling commonly came off the bench when Union stunned everyone by clinching the Champions League, he played a key role this season as Stuttgart did the same.
Third, Stuttgart beat Bayern Munich last week to move two points clear of second-placed and can still overtake them with two games remaining.
Leweling has played every single game this year for Stuttgart, providing seven assists and scoring 4 goals.
Speaking to the Bundesliga on Wednesday, Leweling praised coach Sebastian Hoeness for transforming the club.
“He’s built anything here. I’m going to do it next year and show what we can do in the Champions League. “
0 – No team has had a Bundesliga season without defeat. Leverkusen are two games behind.
12 – Since the appointment of former Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuettl in March, Wolfsburg have 12 points, champions Bayer Leverkusen (14) and Champions League runners-up Borussia Dortmund (13).
36 – Harry Kane has 36 goals. The England captain has two games left to break Robert Lewandowski’s record in a single season.
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