“Can’t do anything but laugh and smile” – Sport – svenska.yle.fi

Bayer 04 Leverkusen are German Bundesliga football champions. The sensation was completed when the club defeated Werder Bremen 5–0.

We, for our dream – we for our dream.

That dream has now come true as Leverkusen are German football champions for the first time in the club’s history – with Finnish national team goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky as team captain.

Hradecky becomes the first team captain in Leverkusen’s 120-year history to lift the Bundesliga trophy. In blue and white context, he is the first Finnish team captain to ever win a league title in a major European league.

– I can’t help but laugh and smile, says a joyful Hradecky in Viaplay’s interview.

– An absolutely incredible end to the season like this in front of the fans, five rounds to go, usually only Bayern Munich have won with five rounds to go. I didn’t think this was possible anymore.

Hradecky says he is incredibly grateful for the team, what coach Xabi Alonso has spent and the new players who have joined the team. The title is a combination of all that.

– We’ll see, the more beer I get into the machinery, the more emotional I’ll be, jokes Hradecky.

Hattrick of the own product

Leverkusen took the lead in the 25th minute when the team’s top scorer Victor Boniface was ice cold from the penalty spot.

Caption Victor Boniface has been one of the main reasons behind Leverkusen’s success this season.

Bild: EPA-EFE / All Over Press

Victor Boniface, Bayer 04 Leverkusen (men)

In the 60th minute, Granit Xhaka cut in from distance to give his Leverkusen a 2-0 lead.

The celebration at the BayArena could begin when the super-promise Florian Wirtz also decided to test his right-footed shot from 18 meters. The ball was screwed into the goal and 3-0 was a fact.

In the final minutes, Wirtz struck with another piece of art when he scored the 4–0 goal. By then some wildly celebrating supporters had already stormed the pitch.

Shortly afterwards, Wirtz completed his hat-trick – and the title celebrations could officially begin. In connection with the home team’s last goal, the crowd stormed onto the pitch and wild scenes of joy unfolded.

Caption Xabi Alonso, the former Spanish midfield star, has led Bayer Leverkusen to a sensational season.

Bild: IMAGO/Sven Simon/ All Over Press

Bayer 04 Leverkusen (men)

With 42-year-old coach Xabi Alonso at the helm, the team have not lost a single time in 29 league games and with five rounds to play, the league title is already secured.

The curse is broken – Bayern Munich’s streak is over

The dark years between 1997–2002, when silver medalists four times, are now a thing of the past. In 2000, Leverkusen were in a three-point lead going into the final round, but lost the championship to Bayern Munich. Two years later, the team lost their league lead and lost the finals of both the Champions League and the German Cup.

These merits gave Leverkusen the nickname “Don’t cry”.

In 2024, that curse is finally broken, and Leverkusen can celebrate a historic first title. Bayern Munich’s monster streak of eleven consecutive Bundesliga titles is also broken.

With 25 wins and four draws in the league this season, Leverkusen still have the chance to go through a Bundesliga season unbeaten

German Bundesliga

Leverkusen–Werder Bremen 5–0 (1–0)
1–0 25′ V. Boniface
2–0 60′ G. Xhaka
3–0 68′ F. Wirtz
4–0 83′ F. Wirtz
5–0 90 F. Wirtz

Darmstadt–Freiburg 0–1 (0–1)