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Xabi Alonso names a strong side – and still has Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz up his sleeve.
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Starting XI for #B04SVW – let's go! 👊#ForOurDream | #Bayer04 #Werkself pic.twitter.com/GoFNADiJLM
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) April 14, 2024
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Afternoon everyone and welcome to what should be a piece of history. Bayer Leverkusen need just one more win to seal their first Bundesliga title in their 120th year, and never again be called Neverkusen. As Xabi Alonso’s Invincibles have won their last nine league games, one more shouldn’t be too tricky. Their opponents, Werder Bremen, are a mid-table team in a slump that has brought only two points from six games over the past two months. But still, the final fence can do funny things to even the strongest steeplechaser.
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Werder will be the fresher of the two sides, having had eight days off since they drew at Eintracht Frankfurt. Leverkusen had to play on Thursday night in the Europa League, not that they showed any sign of being bothered as they ran rings around West Ham. They had 73 per cent of the possession and 33 of the 34 attempts on goal. At times, there were 21 players in or just outside the West Ham box, with only the Leverkusen goalie, Matej Kovar, missing out on the party.
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Alonso must have been tearing his hair out when it was still 0-0 after 75 minutes. But one of the subs he sent on then, Jonas Hofmann, soon scored the first goal, and another, Victor Boniface, added a second in stoppage time. This season, Leverkusen have always found a way. They are 13 points clear of Bayern Munich with a game in hand. The Bundesliga often ends up as a one-horse race, but never before has that horse been called Bayer Leverkusen.
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Kick-off is at 5.30pm in the Rheinland, 4.30pm BST. I’ll be back as soon as we get the team news.
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Key events
In other news, Liverpool have lost. At home. For the second time in four days. John Brewin has the details.
Pre-match reading.
And here’s the Werder Bremen team. They will have nothing to lose.
🗒️ 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦
Our XI to tackle the league leaders 🤩#werder #b04svw pic.twitter.com/jMCuRMrcbs
— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) April 14, 2024
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Hofmann and Boniface are back
Xabi Alonso names a strong side – and still has Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz up his sleeve.
Starting XI for #B04SVW – let's go! 👊#ForOurDream | #Bayer04 #Werkself pic.twitter.com/GoFNADiJLM
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) April 14, 2024
\n\n"}}” config=”{"renderingTarget":"Web","darkModeAvailable":false}”>
Preamble
Afternoon everyone and welcome to what should be a piece of history. Bayer Leverkusen need just one more win to seal their first Bundesliga title in their 120th year, and never again be called Neverkusen. As Xabi Alonso’s Invincibles have won their last nine league games, one more shouldn’t be too tricky. Their opponents, Werder Bremen, are a mid-table team in a slump that has brought only two points from six games over the past two months. But still, the final fence can do funny things to even the strongest steeplechaser.
Werder will be the fresher of the two sides, having had eight days off since they drew at Eintracht Frankfurt. Leverkusen had to play on Thursday night in the Europa League, not that they showed any sign of being bothered as they ran rings around West Ham. They had 73 per cent of the possession and 33 of the 34 attempts on goal. At times, there were 21 players in or just outside the West Ham box, with only the Leverkusen goalie, Matej Kovar, missing out on the party.
Alonso must have been tearing his hair out when it was still 0-0 after 75 minutes. But one of the subs he sent on then, Jonas Hofmann, soon scored the first goal, and another, Victor Boniface, added a second in stoppage time. This season, Leverkusen have always found a way. They are 13 points clear of Bayern Munich with a game in hand. The Bundesliga often ends up as a one-horse race, but never before has that horse been called Bayer Leverkusen.
Kick-off is at 5.30pm in the Rheinland, 4.30pm BST. I’ll be back as soon as we get the team news.