Bayer Leverkusen: 5 Unsung Heroes As Bundesliga Champions Close In on Unbeaten Season

• Bayer Leverkusen won the German Bundesliga for the first time in their history
• Xabi Alonso’s men could complete the season unbeaten with three trophies
• The team thrived on great teamwork and a huge mentality to achieve success

Bayer Leverkusen ended Bayern Munich’s hegemony in the German Bundesliga by winning their first-ever title under former Bayern star Xabi Alonso.

The club is three matches—the league game against Augsburg, the Europa League final against Atalanta, and the DFB Pokal final against FC Koln—away from adding two more trophies and spectacularly finishing the entire season unbeaten, which makes their journey even more remarkable.

Players like Florian Wirtz, Victor Boniface, and Granit Xhaka have rightfully earned praise, while players have had less attention.

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Sports Brief looks at five unsung heroes of the history-making team.

Bayer Leverkusen’s unsung heroes

1. Lukas Hradecky

The veteran goalkeeper has been at Leverkusen since 2018 when he joined from Eintracht Frankfurt. This season, he has been in goal 32 times, conceding 23 goals and keeping 15 clean sheets. Hradecky has also provided leadership as the captain.

2. Robert Andrich

The German midfielder is a crucial player for Alonso but rarely gets the praise. He operates in midfield alongside Xhaka and has featured in 27 games so far. As noted by beIN Sport, he scored a last-gasp equaliser against Roma in the Europa League semi-final to preserve the unbeaten run.

3. Exequiel Palacios

The Argentine midfielder has been brilliant this season for the champions. Per Fotmob, he provides defensive cover so that Xhaka has the freedom to operate in midfield.

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4. Jonas Hoffman

Hoffman's versatility has been crucial to the team’s success; he has helped reduce the burden on Wirtz, who was returning from a serious injury. He contributed five goals and 10 assists in the league.

5. Patrick Schick

The Czech international featured mainly in the Europa League but still played 19 league games and scored seven goals. His most important contribution to the team was two late goals against Qarabag, which ensured progress to the UEL quarter-final and preserved the unbeaten streak.

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Sports Brief previously reported on four Nigerians who have won Bundesliga title after Bayer Leverkusen beat Werder Bremen 5-0 to confirm their status as champions.

Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella, the Super Eagles duo, were part of Alonso’s history-making side, joining Pascal Ojigwe and the legendary Sunday Oliseh.