Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen extend European record for consecutive unbeaten games
Bayer Leverkusen remain unbeaten in all competitions in 2023/24, the Bundesliga champions now a European record-extending 45 games without loss.
When Leverkusen ran out 2-1 winners over Mainz on Bundesliga Matchday 23 to make it 33 games unbeaten, the Bundesliga champions surpassed Hansi Flick’s Bayern Munich team of 2020 and 2021 in the record books for the longest run without defeat by a German side in all competitions. Another remarkable fact is that Die Werkself achieved the feat inside a single campaign.
Watch: Highlights of Leverkusen's record-breaking Mainz win
Alonso's side reached the 40-game mark with their DFB Cup semi-final triumph against Fortuna Düsseldorf, before equalling the Bundesliga record for longest unbeaten start to a league campaign with victory away to Union Berlin on Matchday 28.
They then set a new best mark in Germany's top flight on Matchday 29 with a 5-0 thumping of Werder Bremen that also saw the club crowned champions for the first time in their history.
Watch: Bayer Leverkusen - champions at last!
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That result also took Leverkusen level with Juventus for the longest undefeated streak by a team in one of Europe's top five leagues at 43 matches (across 2011 and 2012). The Werkself subsequently rewrote the record books with an unprecedented 44th game unbeaten as they drew 1-1 away at West Ham United to book a place in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals.
Leverkusen's streak was seconds from being ended in Dortmund on Matchday 30, when Josip Stanišić equalised in the seventh minute of added time to make it 45 competitive matches without loss.
Watch: Leverkusen salvage Dortmund draw to stay unbeaten
Unsurprinsingly, Bayer are the only team across Europe’s top five leagues per UEFA coefficient yet to taste defeat in 2023/24, while their Bundesliga points and goals tallies (80 and 75, respectively) are club records at this stage of a league campaign.
Leverkusen have won a remarkable 39 out of those 45 fixtures, being held to a draw on only seven occasions and failing to score just once (0-0 vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach on Matchday 19).
They have four games left in the Bundesliga to record the first unbeaten campaign in the history of the German top flight. There will be at least three more matches as well with a two-legged Europa League semi-final clash with Roma and the DFB Cup final against Kaiserslautern on 25 May. A potential Europa League final against Marseille or Atalanta in Dublin on 22 May would make it 53 competitive fixtures in 2023/24.
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