A take a look at our subsequent Champions League opponents
Our Crimson Bulls are returning to Europe’s greatest soccer stage subsequent week once we go away on the fifth matchday of the league section of the UEFA Champions League to face the German champions. We now have taken a take a look at the Leverkusen success story so you recognize simply what we’re up towards on Tuesday 26 November at 21:00 CET at Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
Bayer, BayArena and UEFA
Firm and sponsor names are usually not allowed in UEFA competitions – nor are stadiums. There’s an exception nonetheless for the sports activities membership fashioned in 1904 – which nonetheless operates a really profitable athletics’ crew – because the membership was based as a manufacturing unit crew for the pharmaceutical firm primarily based there.
The buildings of the Werkself have modified loads since then. Again in 1923, the soccer division was separated by the gymnastics membership, whereas the present kind was established in 1984.
30,210 Capability on the BayArena
The facet have been promoted to the Bundesliga in 1979 – and haven’t appeared again since! They more and more grew to become a top-flight power and competed for honours with out managing to land a breakthrough trophy for a very long time. In 2002 they have been runners-up in three competitions (league, cup and UEFA Champions League). The nickname Vizekusen grew to become so effectively used, Bayer even patented it – to keep away from it being misused. The identify Meisterkusen was additionally patented – simply in case – however regardless of seeing such legends like Rudi Völler, Lucio, Michael Ballack and Rüdiger Vollborn, it could be a really very long time because it was wanted.
From Neverkusen to Neverlosing
On 5 October 2022, Bayer 04 Leverkusen have been languishing in second from backside when soccer legend Xabi Alonso took cost on the Bayer sidelines to begin a legendary run of success. As profitable because the Spaniard had been in his enjoying days, the previous midfield maestro wanted to persuade individuals of his teaching credentials – having beforehand solely labored for the youth groups of Actual Madrid and Actual Sociedad.
The 42-year-old proved his critics flawed, after which some! In his first season in cost, he led the Leverkusen facet from seventeenth to sixth to put the foundations for a spectacular second season.
Alonso’s 3-4-2-1 formation and hungry squad of abilities led Leverkusen to turn into the primary membership to undergo a whole German Bundesliga season unbeaten in 2023/24 – and have a good time the primary league title in membership historical past. They virtually managed European heroics too, solely to fall brief within the UEFA Europa League ultimate with a 0-3 defeat to Atalanta.
The defining characteristic of Alonso’s facet over that season was the flexibility of Florian Wirtz & Co to maintain plowing away and regularly internet decisive late targets! Leverkusen left it late with over 30 targets after the eightieth minute of play in 2023/24, with an astonishing 14 targets in stoppage time to rescue the unbeaten run and seal quite a few last-minute successes!
Unsurprisingly, Alonso and his gamers have been in demand final summer season, however opposite to some expectations, the squad remained kind of intact. The Leverkusen followers are due to this fact being handled to the likes of Florian Wirtz, Victor Boniface and Alejandro Grimaldo once more this season.
New established order
In the event that they have been unbeaten in 2023/24, their patent for this success could have expired. Leverkusen are presently fourth within the league, 9 factors behind Bayern Munich, and within the Champions League they suffered a 0-4 reverse at Liverpool to go away them thirteenth.
We all know that as underdogs – with nothing to lose – our boys are at all times good for a shock in Europe, which is precisely what we wish to do on Tuesday! We’re counting in your assist for that. The reserving deadline for our particular fan prepare from Salzburg to Leverkusen has been prolonged till the top of Sunday – so get your seat if you have not but!