Just one more game and then the most successful year in the history of Bayer 04 Leverkusen would end. Players and team are chasing Bundesliga records.
Of course, such a breathtaking championship and cup winning season without defeat, which Bayer 04 Leverkusen achieved like no other team in Germany, leaves its mark.
And this may be particularly clear in the example of Lukas Hradecky. Since then, the goalkeeper and his team have been chasing new records for eternity.
The Finn Hradecky hasn't lost a party for a whopping year and a half and has now played 46 Bundesliga games. Before Leverkusen's only defeat in this period (2:3 at RB Leipzig on matchday 2), the 35-year-old goalkeeper signed off sick with coach Xabi Alonso.
Hradecky joins the successful trio
With this spectacular record, Hradecky joins a small number of record players in the history of the German elite league. Only three players have longer streaks. In the years 2012 to 2014, Bayern players Jérôme Boateng (56), Franck Ribéry (49) and Manuel Neuer (48) succeeded.
An illustrious circle that Hradecky could even lead at some point if the Werkself maintains its current form and also wins the upcoming home game against SC Freiburg (Saturday, December 21, 2024, from 6:30 p.m. in the live stream and in the ticker).
Hradecky: “Good in the hunter role”
“For the most part last year we were the hunted. We did that well too. Now we want to take on the other role.”said Hradecky after the 2-0 away win at FC Augsburg. The Alonso team has now achieved this change of perspective. “We are also quite good in the hunter role”said the Finn.
Only four points currently separate the Werkself in second place from leaders FC Bayern. Leverkusen has won all of its last seven competitive games, including four in the Bundesliga. In addition, the club is doing well in both the Champions League (4th place) and the DFB Cup (quarter-finals).
And: Leverkusen hasn't lost an away game in the Bundesliga this year. Only FC Bayern had such a record in 1986 and 2013. Superlatives decorate the Werkself’s path.
Cannot be surpassed anymore
And the Leverkusen team, who are now used to success, can no longer prevent another success story, even if they wanted to: Regardless of the outcome of the party against Freiburg, the Werkself will become calendar year champions for the first time.
No other Bundesliga team scored as many points in 2024 as Bayer 04 (77). In the previous 13 years, FC Bayern had always been the most successful team, before that it was Borussia Dortmund in 2010.
Wirtz and Tah as Exceptional player
The team spirit at the Werkself is (again) completely intact. And when things get particularly serious on the pitch, Coach Alonso is known to have a number of special individualists at his disposal – above all top technician Florian Wirtz.
According to reports, the 21-year-old will be playing under the Bayer Cross for another year and has probably extended his contract. The fact that they can really use the national player in Leverkusen is also shown by his current season balance. Six goals and four assists make him the best scorer Calf teams.
Or Jonathan Tah. With an average of 70 percent, the national defender is the victorious duel of the strongest duels in the Bundesliga.
Championship title within reach
That's why Leverkusen's run continues almost unceasingly. “We had a great performance in the last four or five matchdays in the Bundesliga and now we want to have a successful finish at the end of the year. Then maybe we’ll get close enough to really fight.”said Hradecky – and meant nothing less than defending the championship title.
