Leverkusen’s record chances
FC Schalke will probably remain untouchable for Bayer forever
By Till Erdenberger & Christoph Wolf
April 18, 2024, 10:43 a.m
Bayer Leverkusen are German champions, but still have a lot to do. They want to win more titles this season. But there are still a few records to be broken. They can steal a few from FC Bayern, but they won’t crack FC Schalke in one category.
Bayer Leverkusen have already been German champions since their thrilling 5-0 win against Werder Bremen, and the team under master coach Quarter-final first leg over West Ham United created a brilliant starting position for bigger goals. At the second leg in London (Thursday, 9 p.m. / Live on RTL and RTL+ and in the live ticker on ntv.de) it’s about the semi-finals and more: about the continuation of a record series, for example. In general, the factory club, which has been unbeaten in 43 games, can still break a few records. An overview.
Longest series of competitive matches in Europe’s top leagues since the introduction of the European Cup
“We also want the cup and the Europa League!” Alonso had promised the celebrating fans in the excitement of the championship. If Bayer Leverkusen advances to the semi-finals of the Europa League with a win or a draw against West Ham, Alonso and his players will have not lost 44 games in a row across all competitions – setting a record for the five largest European leagues. No team from the upper echelon of football in England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France has managed to remain unbeaten for so long since the introduction of the European Cup in the mid-20th century.
The new German champions currently share the record with Italy’s major club Juventus Turin. However, before their record-breaking 2011/12 season, the Italians had missed qualifying for an international competition and had “only” played their series in national competitions – and accumulated significantly more draws than Leverkusen. For comparison: After 29 league game days, Juve’s record was 15 wins and 14 draws, which corresponded to 59 points – and was only good for second place in the league at that point. Leverkusen’s record: 25 wins, 4 draws, 79 points – but more on that later.
The longest series of teams that also took part in a European competition during their record run was set by Benfica Lisbon between December 1963 (when they lost 5-0 to Borussia Dortmund in the European Champions Cup) and Valentine’s Day 1965: with the legendary goalscorer Eusebio, the Portuguese remained unbeaten in 48 games across all competitions. A record that Leverkusen cannot break with the flow of its record season with a maximum of ten competitive games remaining, but ideally could significantly improve it.
Most wins in a season
Bayer Leverkusen secured the championship with a 5-0 spectacle against Werder Bremen. As already mentioned, it was the 25th win in the current Bundesliga season. The champions are still a long way from the Bundesliga win record, but it is mathematically achievable: FC Bayern Munich had an incredible 29 wins in both 2012/13 and 2013/14. If Leverkusen manages five more wins in their remaining five games, the Werkself would reach 30 wins. However, Bayer’s remaining program in the league is tough: Borussia Dortmund (A), VfB Stuttgart (H), Eintracht Frankfurt (A), VfL Bochum (A) and FC Augsburg (H).
Most points in a Bundesliga season
Bayer Leverkusen have scored 79 points in 29 games so far, no Bundesliga team had ever achieved more at this point in the season. But here too, a new season record is still possible for the Werkself. The current record is – of course – held by FC Bayern. He scored 91 out of 102 possible points in 2012/13 under Jupp Heynckes. Bayern then held the Bundesliga in a headlock for eleven years – until Bayer Leverkusen stopped the record champions’ record title run.
First undefeated season in the Bundesliga
Bayer Leverkusen can do what even the great FC Bayern has never been able to do: not only become undefeated German champions, which Guardiola’s Bayern also achieved in 2013/14 – but after winning the title early, they can also remain unbeaten until the end of the season.
Particularly nice for fans of football statistics: the Leverkusen team once created the conditions for the possible record themselves. Because: In the 1986/87 season and in its triple-fabulous 2012/13 season, the Munich team only lost one game – at home against: Bayer Leverkusen. On matchday 12 of 1986/87, Leverkusen clearly won 3-0 in Munich. It was closer on matchday 9 of 2012/13. The then Bayern striker Mario Mandzukic had equalized Stefan Kießling’s opening goal after 77 minutes, but Sidney Sam countered with the 2-1 winning goal four minutes before the end. Captain of Bayer Leverkusen at the time: Simon Rolfes, who is now managing director of the champions and became one of the architects of the 2024 championship title.
And: If Leverkusen actually remains unbeaten in the league and then gets its second cup win in the DFB Cup final on May 25, 2024 against the second division team 1. FC Kaiserslautern, which is in acute danger of relegation, the first season of a German team without defeat in national competitions would also be perfect .
Most different goalscorers in a season
16 players won the first championship in club history for Bayer Leverkusen. Xabi Alonso would have to find four more goalscorers to at least equal the Bundesliga record in this category: in 2007/08, 20 different professionals scored for Werder Bremen. At that time, the North Germans climbed from 5th place before the 27th matchday to the runner-up championship thanks to a final spurt with seven wins in the last eight games.
Alonso’s “problem”: Of the professionals deployed this Bundesliga season who are currently still eligible to play for Bayer Leverkusen, only central defender Edmond Tapsoba, right-back Arthur, who was in the squad for only the third time this season after a long injury against Werder, met. Young hopeful Gustavo Puerta and striker Borja Iglesias are not yet.
Midfielder Nadiem Amiri, who played eight times for the champions, is now playing on loan for Mainz 05 – and has already scored for Rheinhessen. Curious: Kellerkind Mainz 05 is also in the running for the record! 16 different players have already scored for Amiri’s new team this season, just like they did for FC Bayern.
Which records they can’t (yet) take from FC Bayern:
Another curiosity: 79 points and 25 wins after 29 games are, as mentioned, Bundesliga records. But despite these exorbitant values, Bayer Leverkusen cannot set a home or away record this season. The two draws at home (1:1 against Borussia Dortmund, 0:0 against Borussia Mönchengladbach) are too much! In any case, too much to rob FC Schalke of the 1971/72 season, FC Bayern (1972/73) and VfL Wolfsburg (2008/09) of their joint record. All three teams won 16 home games and drew once in their home stadium.
There are already two draws for the new champions away from home in the statistics. Here you can still catch up with FC Bayern. They won 15 games away from home in 2012/13, two of which ended in a draw away from home. However, Bayer Leverkusen will probably not be able to break FC Bayern’s incredible goal difference from this season: Franck Ribéry, Arjen Robben and Co. scored 42 goals back then and only allowed seven. Bayer Leverkusen is 31:11 with three away games remaining.
The 25 points lead that FC Bayern had over “chasers” Borussia Dortmund at the end of the 2012/13 season also seems to be too much to be broken this season. Bayer Leverkusen currently has 16 points more than FC Bayern and VfB Stuttgart, who are tied on points.
Bayer Leverkusen’s last defeat was on May 27, 2023. The big streak only began after the 3-0 defeat on the last matchday of last season, so they are now 29 Bundesliga games without defeat. Although that is enough for the championship, it is far from enough for the record books. Between 2012 and 2014, FC Bayern remained invincible for 53 Bundesliga games in a row – then the then coach Pep Guardiola unofficially declared the Bundesliga season over: The team, which had already been declared champions, first lost at FC Augsburg (0-1) and immediately afterwards at home against Borussia Dortmund (0:3).