Bayer Leverkusen etched their name in history on Saturday, becoming the first team since the Bundesliga’s inception in 1963 to complete an entire season unbeaten.
Early strikes from Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface and Robert Andrich secured a 2-1 victory over Augsburg in their final match of the season. This win marked their 28th triumph in 34 Bundesliga fixtures.
Having clinched the title in April, ending Bayern Munich’s 11-year reign, Leverkusen is also the first team to achieve an unbeaten season in any of Europe’s top five leagues since Juventus in the 2011-12 Serie A campaign.
Leverkusen has not suffered a single defeat across all competitions this season, boasting an impressive 51-game unbeaten streak.
Despite their dominance over Augsburg, Mert Kömür managed to pull one back in the 62nd minute. This led Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso to introduce star players Florian Wirtz and Granit Xhaka, whom he had hoped to rest ahead of the Europa League and German Cup finals next week.
Elsewhere, Stuttgart secured second place at Bayern’s expense with a resounding 4-0 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach, while Bayern Munich stumbled to a 4-2 defeat against Hoffenheim in Thomas Tuchel’s final game as coach.
“Another bitter defeat,” an irate Tuchel remarked, just a day after announcing that contract extension talks had fallen through.
Bayern’s third-place finish is their worst since they came behind 2011 champions Borussia Dortmund and Leverkusen. It also marks their first trophy-less season since 2012.
Stuttgart’s achievement of 73 points is a club record and a remarkable turnaround following their battles against relegation in the previous two seasons.
