Leverkusenâs Granit Xhaka, second from left, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening purpose the German Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and 1. FSV Mainz 05 on the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, on February 23, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP
Granit Xhaka scored his first purpose for Bayer Leverkusen because the Bundesliga chief defeated Mainz 2-1 and set a German record of 33 games unbeaten throughout all competitions.
Leverkusen, which hasn’t misplaced a match since final season, stretched its lead to 11 points earlier than 11-time defending champion Bayern Munich â which held the earlier unbeaten record of 32 games â hosts Leipzig on Saturday. Eleven rounds stay after this weekend.
“We deserve to be where we are,” Xhaka stated.
“When you’re eight points, now 11 points, ahead of second-place Bayern, there is a lot to lose. But we’ll keep working day by day, game by game, stay positive, and I’m sure we’ll be able to keep getting our wins.”
The buildup to Friday’s match was dominated by hypothesis over the way forward for Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, together with his former golf equipment Bayern and Liverpool searching for new coaches for subsequent season.
Alonso has no lack of suitors after taking Leverkusen from the relegation zone when he took over in October 2022 to a real title candidate in his first senior administration job.
“It’s all just speculation, my head is totally here,” Alonso repeated on Friday.
“We have so much to do, we’re in such a super position. So enjoying it, preparing, and that’s all that’s going on in my head.”
Supporters celebrated the German soccer league’s midweek determination to scrap its plan to convey in an out of doors investor for a share of media rights earnings by displaying a banner saying âFootball belongs to the followers.â
They did not have to wait lengthy to have fun once more when Xhaka fired Leverkusen right into a third-minute lead. The Swiss midfielder let fly from outdoors the penalty space for his first purpose on his thirty first look for the membership.
But Dominik Kohr replied for the guests with a header on the different finish 4 minutes later.
Leverkusen went on to dominate possession. The house group’s urgency grew towards the tip of the half, when Ãlex Grimaldo drew save from Robin Zentner with a free kick.
Leverkusen’s frustrations grew when Jeremie Frimpong was booked for complaining after he’d been tripped by Mainz defender Phillipp Mwene when he would have been by way of on purpose. TV replays confirmed there was contact. Alonso was additionally booked for his complaints.
The frustration remained after the break as Leverkusen failed to discover a method by way of.
Then the in any other case wonderful Zentner failed to maintain Robert Andrich’s harmless-looking shot and the ball looped in over his head in the 68th. It proved sufficient for the win as Mainz’s hopes have been hit in the eightieth when Jessic Ngankam was despatched off after a VAR test for a harmful sort out on Xhaka.
“We’ve played better,” Alonso stated.
“But that’s normal in a season, you can’t always play super.”
