“What an achievement” - Barcelona star wowed by Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga title win, rates their UCL chances next season
Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan congratulated Bayer Leverkusen for winning the 2023-24 Bundesliga title on Sunday, April 14, beating Werder Bremen 5-0. The Xabi Alonso-managed team broke Bayern Munich's 11-year-long chokehold on the German league title by winning the league with a comfortable margin.
German midfielder Gundogan was part of the Borussia Dortmund team which won the Bundesliga in the 2010-11 and the 2011-12 seasons. Since then, Bayern has won 11 titles on the trot until Leverkusen's triumph yesterday.
Gundogan took to X to congratulate Leverkusen, saying:
"Congratulations to @bayer04fussball on the championship! There can be no two opinions about whether it is deserved. What an achievement - wow! If the team stays together like this, then they can go far in the UCL. I'm excited! @Bundesliga_DE."
Leverkusen dominated Werder Bremen on Sunday, courtesy of a second-half hat-trick from Florian Wirtz. With five games left to play this season, Leverkusen are now 16 points ahead of second-placed Bayern Munich.
Leverkusen are unbeaten in the Bundesliga this season, having won 25 games and drawn four in the league. They are also 2-0 up against West Ham United in the quarterfinals of the Europa League after the first leg (played on April 11).
Leverkusen will also face 1. FC Kaiserslautern in the final of the DFB-Pokal Cup on May 25.
Bayer Leverkusen HC Xabi Alonso on managing in the Premier League in the future
Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has already scripted history at the club by helping them win the Bundesliga title for the first time in their 119-year-old history. He is unbeaten in the league this season and his overall managerial record this season (38 wins and five draws in 43 games) has seen Alonso getting linked with several clubs across Europe.
Liverpool, who are set to part ways with Jurgen Klopp after this season, were also linked with a move for Alonso. The former Liverpool midfielder was seen by many as an ideal candidate to take over from the German gaffer, who will end his eight-year stay at the club this summer.
Having turned down the opportunity to leave Bayer Leverkusen this summer, Alonso was asked about the possibility of managing in the Premier League in the future. He said (via The Guardian):
"You never know… At the moment, I have enough on my plate to think about, but I'm still young as a coach and for sure, it's a nice opportunity."