Comparatively, across Europe's top leagues, only four clubs in Gibraltar, Latvia, Belarus, and Norway have won more consecutive titles. Juventus in Serie A comes closest with nine in a row, a feat also achieved twice by Celtic. To give you an idea, no English top-flight team has won more than three seasons consecutively, though Manchester City has a shot this year.
While Bayern faced a close call last season, narrowly securing the title, their response was to sign Harry Kane, a much-needed replacement for Robert Lewandowski. Kane has quickly made his mark with 21 goals and 7 assists in just 16 games, contributing significantly to Bayern's 42 goals in 11 Bundesliga matches, conceding only nine.
Despite their impressive records, Bayern currently finds themselves in second place after the final international break, with Bayer Leverkusen leading the pack. Leverkusen has had a stellar start, winning 10 and drawing one of their 11 games, accumulating 31 points – matching Bayern's record start in 2015-16.
The big question is whether Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen can maintain their exceptional form and keep Bayern at bay. Leverkusen's remarkable transformation under Alonso, from a team near the bottom in 2022 to leading the Bundesliga, is truly impressive. They've won 12 consecutive games, including a 2-2 draw against Bayern.
Alonso has built a free scoring side, capable of finding the back of the net from any position. Fullbacks Jeremie Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo both have 5 and 8 goals each, while Nigerian hotshot, Victor Boniface has been leading the attack incredibly well with 11 goals and counting. Not forgetting center back, Jonathan Tah who has also contributed 5 goals from hus defensive position this season
Alonso's coaching prowess has even sparked rumors about managerial positions at Liverpool and Real Madrid. Leverkusen's success this season is underscored by a diverse scoring lineup and shrewd market moves, signing top performers for a combined fee of just £26.5m.
Florian Wirtz, at 20 years old, stands out as one of Europe's brightest talents, providing 18 assists in 2023. Leverkusen's fans are beginning to dream, and the possibility of dethroning the mighty Bayern Munich, 33-time champions and 11-time defending champions, is becoming more tangible.
Could 2023-24 be the year Leverkusen ends their 119-year wait for the German crown? It certainly seems they are in the best position ever to make that happen. Whatever happens, we'll revisit this topic in May 2024.
