Never Say Never Again

Bayer Leverkusen are determined to shake off their tag of perennial runners-up

- Nick Bidwell

As Leverkusen set a blistering pace atop the German top flight – remaining unbeaten in their first 18 fixtures to move seven points clear at the summit – older Bundesliga watchers could be excused for experiencing flashbacks to the1997-98 campaign, when newly-promoted Kaiserslautern defied the odds to scoop the title ahead of perennial champions Bayern Munich.

Then, as now, the narrative is word for word. Everyone expecting Kaiserslautern/ Leverkusen to slip up and be overhauled by Bayern, only for the unfancied outsiders to relentlessly maintain their winning momentum. Could we be in for one of those all-too uncommon occurrences in the German elite: Bayern forced to play second fiddle?

Should Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso and his merry men continue to make magic all the way to the finishing line, thus securing their firstever championship shield, legendary status will be assured. And not only in this corner of the Rhineland; equally euphoric would be the massed ranks of the “anyone but Bayern brigade”, the supporters up and down the land who bristle at the Bavarian giants’ outrageous dominance and who would dearly love to see more power-sharing.

Little wonder the atmosphere at the BayArena is electric at the moment. Not only is their Bundesliga title tilt in great shape; they have also run riot in the Europa League, winning all six group games. According to the bookmakers, only Liverpool are more likely to lift the trophy than Leverkusen. Their competitive record in the first half of this season (26 matches, 23 wins, three draws, zero losses, 82 goals scored and 18 conceded) is the absolute stuff of dreams. Indeed, no German pro side has ever begun a campaign with such a long unvanquished run.