Eternal myth of “Vicekusen”
The “bitterest” trauma still affects Bayer Leverkusen today
April 13, 2024, 8:50 a.m
1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and one last time in 2011: Bayer Leverkusen has a permanent subscription to second places around the turn of the millennium, sometimes dramatically missing out on titles. Now the Vizekusen myth is about to end: for the Werkself this is a relief after being “buried under an avalanche”.
Reiner Calmund doesn’t really trust the roast. The trauma still has an impact even after more than 20 years; the former boss of Bayern Leverkusen is a burned child. “I’ll only talk about the championship when it’s mathematically perfect. Not before,” said the 75-year-old before his favorite club’s first title match: “Of course that also has to do with my past. It happens automatically, I have that Respect.”
Calmund explained that he is still a representative of the “Vicekusen” generation: “I have experienced so many runner-up championships, I can’t get that out of my head. That’s why I’m not doing it.” With a win against Werder Bremen on Sunday (5.30 p.m./DAZN) Bayer would complete the first championship in the club’s history, after which there would be five more chances. When FC Bayern lost in the afternoon against FC Cologne (3.30 p.m. / Sky) and VfB Stuttgart against Eintracht Frankfurt (6.30 p.m. Sky/all in the live ticker on ntv.de) the title would have been perfect even on the sofa. The end of the almost insurmountable myth of “Vizekusen” seems to be a matter of time – liberation beckons.
The championship banner had to be taken down again after the 34th matchday.
“No one will say Vicekusen anymore,” said Rudi Völler at a Telekom meeting in Bonn: “The term annoyed me a bit.” Christoph Daum also said that the curse would be “over”: “If an expression like Vizekusen is constantly repeated, then it almost suggests that you can’t become a champion. But now you see: Even Vizekusen can become a champion.” As the club’s parent company, Bayer AG even registered the term “Vizekusen” as a protected trademark in 2010. Too much had happened around the turn of the millennium.
Daum: “Buried under an avalanche”
In 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and a final time in 2011, only the runner-up remained. The years 2000 and 2002 in particular are inseparably linked to the myth of “Vicekusen”. Leverkusen, as league leaders in 2000, would have been enough to secure their first cup with a draw in Unterhaching. An own goal from Michael Ballack (20th) and a header from Markus Oberleitner (72nd) ended the dream in Haching.
Even Oberleitner felt “a bit sorry” after the “surreal” experience. “Everything was set up for Leverkusen before the game. And then that,” said the goalscorer and party fright. “If you think about who played there. But somehow they didn’t bring it onto the pitch.” The fact that Bayer is now on the verge of fulfilling their dream “is to their credit. In Xabi Alonso they have an outstanding coach and an outstanding team.” Oberleitner, who also played for FC Bayern, would definitely be happy.
That May 20, 2000 was still “totally present because it was certainly a turning point,” said then-Bayer coach Daum: “It felt like you were being buried under an avalanche. Everything collapsed and fell on you . These feelings and experiences, how I cry with my son after the game.” Ballack spoke of the “bitterest” thing the club had experienced. But just two years later things got just as bad.
Leverkusen takes a load off their hearts
In the league, Bayer lost a five-point lead on the last three matchdays and lost the cup final against Schalke and the Champions League final against Real Madrid. With this “triple” at the latest, “Vizekusen” was omnipresent. “I always saw it as absolute shit,” said Daum: “But I never felt that negative about it in the club.” There it was seen as a “huge award”.
And yet everyone involved will certainly be relieved if “Vizekusen” were history from Saturday evening or Sunday.