With a draw at West Ham
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This article was first published on April 14 and has been updated following the Europa League quarter-final second leg.
Bayer Leverkusen set a record with a draw in the Europa League quarter-final second leg. The 1-1 draw at West Ham United also meant the Werkself’s 44th consecutive match without defeat in all competitions – no team in Europe’s top leagues has achieved this feat since 2000. The Rhinelanders left Juventus Turin behind, who remained undefeated in 43 matches from May 2011 to May 2012.
13. FC Bayern | December 2019 to September 2020 | 32 matches without defeat
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Gallery status: April 18, 2024
11. FC Porto | October 2003 to March 2004 | 33 matches without defeat
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11. Sports CP | November 2001 to August 2002 | 33 matches without defeat
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10. FC Porto | March 2010 to December 2010 | 36 matches without defeat
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9. PSG | March 2013 to December 2013 | 36 matches without defeat
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6. PSV Eindhoven | March 2009 to January 2010 | 39 matches without defeat
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6. FC Barcelona | October 2015 to March 2016 | 39 matches without defeat
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6. Inter Milan | October 2006 to April 2007 | 39 matches without defeat
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4. Real Madrid | April 2016 to January 2017 | 40 matches without defeat
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4. Inter Milan | May 2004 to February 2005 | 40 matches without defeat
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3. Celtic FC | November 2016 to August 2017 | 42 matches without defeat
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2. Juventus Turin | May 2011 to May 2012 | 43 matches without defeat
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1. Bayer Leverkusen | August 2023 – ? | 44 matches without defeat
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« We are not unbeatable, but if we continue to do our job every day in the same down-to-earth way as before, anything is possible, » said striker Granit title in the European Cup and the DFB Cup. Even though the midfield strategist does not consider Bayer 04 to be invulnerable, no team has managed to send the Rhinelanders out as underdogs so far this season. If this continues until the end, it would be a novelty – at least in the Bundesliga.
So far, no team has gone undefeated in more than 28 consecutive matches in the upper house of German (Site notre bureau spécialisé). FC Bayern achieved this series in 2013/14 under the leadership of Pep Guardiola and Borussia Dortmund in 2011/12 under the leadership of Jürgen Klopp. With the success at Werder last Sunday, the Werkself also set a record here.
Looking at the history of European (Site notre bureau spécialisé), there have already been undefeated champions in a league season, such as the « Invicibles » Arsenal FC in the Premier League in 2003/04 or the aforementioned Juventus Turin in 2011/12 under the direction of Antonio. Conte He had 23 wins and 15 draws in Serie A. There were also four victories in the Coppa Italia, in which they only had to admit defeat in the final – which also ended the series . The run of 43 still happens because Juve had already ended the season in a draw.
At that time, Turin became champions with just four points ahead of AC Milan – thanks to numerous draws. The team was full of legends: Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro Del Piero and Luca Toni were part of the team. In defense, goalkeeper icon Gianluigi Buffon and defensive greats Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli ensured that at the end of the season there were only 20 goals conceded.
Up front it was a team without a real goalscorer, but Conte’s possession-oriented play and perfectly organized team easily covered up that problem. In the end, 20 different players ended up on the scorers’ list. In midfield, Pirlo, transferred for free, and Arturo Vidal, who came from Bayer Leverkusen for 12.5 million euros, were the pillars. In the years that followed, Torino won nine league titles in a row – perhaps one or two people in Leverkusen dreamed of something similar in their wildest imagination. One thing is certain: the time of “Vizekusen” is over.
1993 – DFB Cup victory! The last title of Bayer 04
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After Leverkusen won the UEFA Cup in 1988, the DFB Cup was the first and only domestic title won in Germany in 1993. At the time, the Werkself beat second team Hertha BSC in the final with Ulf Kirsten, Christian Wörns and Co. See the match report with the 1993 lineups
1997 – Second place in the Bundesliga for the first time
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“Vizekusen” Chapter 1: In fact, second place after the 1996/97 season was Bayer’s biggest success in the Bundesliga so far. Considering FC Bayern’s narrow lead and the bitter and decisive 4-0 defeat against Cologne on the penultimate matchday, it was still boring for the factory club. 1996/97 Leverkusen season
1999 – Leverkusen significantly inferior
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For the second time – and again under the leadership of coach Christoph Daum – the runner-up title went to Bayer Leverkusen in 1999. This time, the deficit against FC Bayern was considerable. On the final day of play, the long-time champions moved 15 points away with a 2-1 victory in a direct duel. Bayer v Bayern: 1999 match report
2000 – The championship is played on the last day of the match
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A year later, Bayer won its third vice-championship title. Once again the champion was FC Bayern, but never before had it been so close and so boring for Leverkusen. Due to a 2-0 defeat in Unterhaching, the championship returned to Munich at the last moment. 1999/2000 Leverkusen season
2002 – Leverkusen vice-champion behind another champion
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With the 2001/02 season, the next vice-championship title was not long in coming. Only the master was different. Borussia Dortmund ultimately had the upper hand as Leverkusen lost their triumph again shortly before the end. A 0-1 defeat on the penultimate day in Nuremberg was a neck fracture. Leverkusen’s 2001/02 season
2002 – Nothing to gain in the cup final either
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After missing the championship, the 2002 DFB Cup final was also lost. After the champion Dortmund, it was the cup winner Schalke who gave the Werkself a hard blow. The Royal Blues won the cup 4-2. The history of the Leverkusen Cup with all the decisive matches
2002 – Triple finalist is perfect
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And then also the Champions League. Bayer 04 held off Real Madrid well in the final, but ultimately had to come away with the treble of world runner-up, cup runner-up and UEFA runner-up. The “eternal finalists” of Bayer 04 become “Vizekusen”. Line-ups and scorers for the CL final against Real
2009 – Özil prevents Leverkusen’s return to the cup
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In the 2009 DFB Cup final, seventh runner-up Leverkusen, Mesut Özil was the spoilsport. Werder Bremen’s 1-0 victory deprived Leverkusen of glory once again. 2009 Cup Final: The match report
2011 – Last Bundesliga runner-up title for Bayer
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Since then – until today – Leverkusen has only won one Bundesliga runner-up title. In the 2010/11 season, BVB won the race again. With a 1-0 victory in Freiburg, Bayer 04 said goodbye to a runner-up season in which it was not even at the top of the table, but finally celebrated its entry into the Champions League. About the 2010/11 Leverkusen team
2020 – Second again in the DFB Cup
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Even under the leadership of coach Peter Bosz, the finals in which the Leverkusen team participates win, the others: against the record winner FC Bayern they lost 2:4 in the ghost final in Berlin on July 4, 2020 .
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