After simply over a complete season without defeat, Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten streak in the Bundesliga was ended at 35 video games by RB Leipzig on Saturday. We take a look at the numbers behind their shocking run.

The streak is over.

Prior to Saturday, Bayer Leverkusen had actually not been beat in the Bundesliga considering that the last matchday of the 2022-23 season when they lost 3-0 to Bochum.

Xabi Alonso’s side surprised the world when they went on to produce the very first unbeaten Bundesliga project on their method to raising the Meisterschale in 2023-24. It was a historical season for Leverkusen, winning their very first Bundesliga title, and ending up being just the 5th various club to win the league and DFB-Pokal double considering that the Bundesliga was established, after Bayern Munich (13 times), Köln, Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund.

They likewise went exceptionally near to an exceptional treble, reaching the Europa League last just to lose 3-0 to Atalanta in Dublin. Not just did that reject them another prize, however it brought an end to an extraordinary 51-game unbeaten streak in all competitors.

Their unbeaten status in league football stayed however, and Leverkusen began the 2024-25 season first of all by winning the DFL-Supercup versus Stuttgart on charges, and after that by protecting a remarkable late 3-2 win at Borussia Monchengladbach on Matchday 1 of the Bundesliga. Florian Wirtz’s effective rebound after a conserved charge in the 101st minute provided the 3 points at Borussia-Park.

However, in simply the 2nd video game of their title defence, Leverkusen were reversed on home soil by RB Leipzig, ending their 35-game unbeaten streak 462 days after their last loss in the league.

To rub salt into the injuries, Alonso’s guys were 2-0 up and relatively travelling versus Leipzig at the BayArena before a Kevin Kampl strike and 2 objectives from Loïs Openda sealed their fate and ended their run.

It was especially galling for Leverkusen provided they had 26 shots to Leipzig’s 8, tape-recorded nearly two times the anticipated objectives (xG) overall of their challengers (2.23 to 1.14) and had 56 touches in the opposition box to Leipzig’s 13.

Openda’s 80th-minute winner was a bitter tablet to swallow, and supplied a particular paradox provided the variety of times Leverkusen have actually originated from behind to cause late distress on their challengers in the in 2015.

But the fans shouldn’t weep due to the fact that it’s over; they must commemorate that it took place.

In completion, Leverkusen agonisingly fell one match except matching Hamburg for the 2nd longest unbeaten run in Bundesliga history (36 from 1982 to 1983), though ended well except Bayern Munich’s record of 53 video games unbeaten from 2012 to 2014.

It was an exceptional run from a group that remained in the transfer zone when Alonso shown up in October 2022. Across those 35 video games, Leverkusen won 29 and drew simply 6, scoring 92 objectives from 77.7 xG for and yielding 26 times from 31.7 xG versus.

Leverkusen have actually ended up being well-known for their late objectives, scoring an impressive 19 times after the 80th minute in Bundesliga video games considering that the start of last season, with 9 of those objectives being available in second-half blockage time. Of those 9, 4 were match-winning objectives and 3 were equalisers, with the other 2 simply including more gloss to success.

Now that their streak has been broken, however, is it time for Leverkusen fans to stress? After all, in both league video games this season they have actually seen a 2-0 lead slip, the distinction being they scored a definitive third versus Gladbach instead of yielding one as they did versus Leipzig.

It’s something Alonso requires to attend to, however broader issues appear unneeded in the meantime. As discussed, Leverkusen can consider themselves unfortunate not to have actually beaten Leipzig having actually been on top in nearly every metric. The factor unbeaten runs like theirs are so uncommon is that football can so typically toss up video games where things simply don’t go your method, while meeting a deadly striker such as Openda on the day plainly didn’t assist.

The Opta supercomputer has actually adjusted its thinking following Leverkusen’s loss, however. Prior to the 2024-25 project, the protecting champs were viewed as the likeliest group to win the Bundesliga, provided a 48.2% possibility, ahead of Bayern at 21.7%.

However, after 2 wins from 2 for Vincent Kompany’s side, Bayern have actually now leapfrogged Leverkusen, restoring the title in 32.0% of sims, while Alonso is now just able to make it back-to-back league wins 30.3% of the time.

The 2 groups satisfy in Munich in late September, which must be as interesting as both clashes were last season.

Prior to that, Leverkusen travel to Hoffenheim before hosting Wolfsburg in the league, either side of beginning their UEFA Champions League project away at Feyenoord. On paper, they are perfect chances to get themselves back on the horse and show that the defeat to Leipzig was simply a misstep.

To go on a 35-game unbeaten run in the league is a remarkable accomplishment, and an indication of a group with compound that is here to remain. This is their very first problem in a while, however, and how Bayer Leverkusen react to an unusual defeat might be what specifies this season’s title race in Germany.

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