Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen extends European record for consecutive unbeaten games

When Bayer Leverkusen secured a 2-1 victory over Mainz on Bundesliga Matchday 23, extending their unbeaten streak to 33 games, they 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. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that Die Werkself accomplished it within a single campaign.

Under Alonso's leadership, Leverkusen reached the 40-game milestone with a triumphant performance in the DFB Cup semi-final against Fortuna Düsseldorf. They then equaled the Bundesliga record for the longest unbeaten start to a league campaign with a victory away to Union Berlin on Matchday 28.

The club set a new benchmark in Germany's top flight on Matchday 29 with a resounding 5-0 victory over Werder Bremen, clinching their first-ever Bundesliga title. This result also leveled Leverkusen 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). Subsequently, they broke this record with an unprecedented 44th game unbeaten, securing a 1-1 draw away at West Ham United to advance to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals.

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Leverkusen's unbeaten streak faced a close call in Dortmund on Matchday 30 when Josip Stanišić equalized in the seventh minute of added time, extending their competitive unbeaten run to 45 matches.

Remarkably, Bayer remains the only team across Europe’s top five leagues, as per UEFA coefficient, yet to suffer defeat in the 2023/24 season. Moreover, their Bundesliga points (80) and goals (75) tallies are club records at this stage of a league campaign.

Out of the 45 fixtures, Leverkusen has won an impressive 39, drawn seven times, and failed to score only once (in a 0-0 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Matchday 19).

With four Bundesliga games remaining, Leverkusen aims to achieve the first unbeaten campaign in the history of the German top flight. Additionally, they have at least three more matches with a two-legged Europa League semi-final clash against Roma and the DFB Cup final against Kaiserslautern on May 25. A potential Europa League final against Marseille or Atalanta in Dublin on May 22 would extend their competitive fixtures in the 2023/24 season to 53 matches.

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