Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen showed no signs of vulnerability despite their recent Europa League final defeat to Atalanta and secured a historic unbeaten domestic double by defeating Kaiserslautern in the DFB-Pokal final.
52-1. Once tagged with a ‘Neverkusen’ moniker, Alonso and his outfit finished their historic 2023–24 campaign with a 52-1 record across all competitions, claiming both the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal titles to boot, cementing their status as the best club in the German football scene.
40-0. Leverkusen, despite their humbling loss in the Europa League final just a few days ago, were able to finish their domestic campaign with an unbeaten 40-0 record, becoming the first German double winners to embark on an entire domestic campaign without a single defeat.
The DFB-Pokal final looked like it was Leverkusen’s to take, as it was suggested by the DFB-Pokal 2024 odds coming into the match. True enough, even down a man for most of the match due to a red card, FCK found a 10-man Leverkusen no easier an opponent than a full Die Werkself squad found to be.
But before anything else, together with SBOTOP, let’s dissect and relive the cinematic DFB-Pokal final between Leverkusen and Kaiserslautern that flagged a new era of dominance on the German football scene.
Xhaka stunner set the tone
It was mayhem to start the match, as both Leverkusen and Kaiserslautern were hot off the gates and were keen on getting an early advantage. It was Kaiserslautern that were mostly in control in the first few minutes. With a relentless pace to Leverkusen’s goal, Daniel Hanslik produced the first moments of danger with a convincing strike that definitely shook the nerves right out of Lukas Hradecky’s gloves.
However, Kaiserslautern’s threatening start came to an abrupt end when former Arsenal standout Granit Xhaka gunned a stunner home from 30 yards to give Leverkusen a 1-0 lead in minute 16. Leverkusen faithfuls often say that Xhaka only scores bangers, and true enough, the 31-year-old capped his season off with the biggest banger of his Die Werkself career thus far.
It’s his first-ever goal in the DFB-Pokal, but it proved to be the most important goal of the entire competition and one of the most thunderous DFB-Pokal 2024 highlights. On top of that, Xhaka became the first Swiss player to score in a DFB-Pokal final.
Leverkusen down to 10 men
Die Werkself may have settled in and found their composure after Xhaka’s stunner set the tone, but their nerves were once again on high alert as centre-back Odilon Kossounou received his marching orders in the 44th minute for two bookable offences.
With only 10 men left on the field, Leverkusen showed their composure and championship pedigree by remaining in cruise control throughout the match despite the man disadvantage.
Startled, Kaiserslautern couldn’t take advantage of the situation. FCK saw more of the ball being up one player, but they rarely threatened the steadfast Leverkusen after the break.
Even though Alonso’s side couldn’t add to its lead, they were able to hang on to their slim 1-0 advantage and claim their second trophy to close the curtain on what was the best season in club history and the best domestic season of a German outfit since time immemorial.
Florian Wirtz’s second-half masterpiece
Going into the second half with a man disadvantage, Bundesliga Player of the Season Florian Wirtz took matters into his own hands and became a nightmare for FCK in the midfield.
Leverkusen’s ace was instrumental in keeping FCK in their place, as the 21-year-old proved to be the engine of the well-oiled machine Die Werkself, showing experience and composure way beyond his years.
Despite a handful of convincing attempts at the FCK’s side of the pitch, Wirtz was unable to tally a goal. But it was his passing and control of the midfield that shined the most, especially during the second half.
Wirtz, who led the DFB-Pokal with four assists, commanded the midfield with grace through and through, pushing the ball to create chances for Leverkusen in the early parts of the match, then keeping it real clean and tight to compensate for their man disadvantage in the second half.
Luckily for Leverkusen fans, the club’s managing director, Simon Rolfes, recently stated that their No. 10 will stay at BayArena next season, despite the unsurprising interest from Europe’s elite clubs.
On top of that, Leverkusen’s heart and soul, Xabi Alonso, as well as DFB-Pokal hero Granit Xhaka, are also set to stay with Die Werkself next season.
There’s plenty of reason to be excited if you’re Leverkusen or its fans, but as for now, it’s time for the club to rest on their laurels, bask in their glory, and enjoy the triumphs of what was a historic 2023–24 season!
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