Unbeaten Leverkusen clinches Bundesliga title
Alonso’s side secures its first crown with a thumping win over Bremen, breaking the 11year stranglehold on the league by Bayern; Liverpool, Arsenal lose as City gets crucial twopoint lead
Undefeated Bayer Leverkusen secured its first Bundesliga title on Sunday with a 50 victory over Werder Bremen, breaking an 11year stranglehold on the league by Bayern Munich.
Xabi Alonso’s team, which has now gone a leaguerecord 29 matches without defeat this season to secure its first trophy since 1993, has a 16point lead over Bayern with five matches remaining.
Remarkable season
Leverkusen left nothing to chance and sealed its title triumph at the first opportunity with Florian Wirtz bagging a hattrick in a win that stretched its unbeaten run across all competitions to a remarkable 43 games this season.
It earned a 24th minute penalty and Victor Boniface, who only recently came back after a threemonth injury break, stepped up to score his first league goal since December and his 11th of the campaign.
There were more chances to double its lead in a onesided first half, with Amine Adli also hitting the woodwork for the host.
Werder came out fighting after the break, trying to spoil the party, but Granit Xhaka’s missile on the hour from 25 metres out sparked wild celebrations in the stands. It was not yet done with substitute Wirtz adding another eight minutes later.
The Germany international, gearing up for Euro 2024 on home soil in June, bagged another in the 83rd with impatient fans then briefly running onto the pitch.
He completed his hattrick in the 90th to cap his team’s fivestar performance and secure the title in style.
Advantage City
Meanwhile, Arsenal was stunned by two late Aston Villa goals as it lost 02 at home to hand the initiative in the Premier League title race to defending champion Manchester City.
Villa substitute Leon Bailey tapped home from close range in the 84th minute before Ollie Watkins’ sublime finish three minutes later sent Gunners fans streaming for the exits.
Arsenal’s defeat, its first in 12 league games, sees it remain second, two points behind City and level on points with thirdplaced Liverpool with six games left to play.
Following Liverpool’s 01 defeat at home to Crystal Palace earlier in the day, the weekend belonged to City which bolstered its chances of an unprecedented fourth straight league title.
The results:
Premier League: Liverpool 0 lost to Crystal Palace 1 (Eze 14); West Ham 0 lost to Fulham 2 (Pereira 9, 72); Arsenal 0 lost to Aston Villa 2 (Bailey 84, Watkins 87).
LaLiga: Cadiz 0 lost to Barcelona 1 (Felix 37); Granada 2 (Uzuni 9-pen, Boye 38) bt Alaves 0.
Serie A: Sassuolo 3 (Pinamonti 4, Lauriente 10, 53) drew with AC Milan 3 (Leao 20, Jovic 59, Okafor 84).
Napoli 2 (Politano 16, Osimhen 63) drew with Frosinone 2 (Cheddira 50, 73); Bologna 0 drew with Monza 0.
Bundesliga: Darmstadt 0 lost to Freiburg 1 (Doan 36); Bayer Leverkusen 5 (Boniface 25-pen, Xhaka 60, Wirtz 68, 83, 90) bt Werder Bremen 0.