Undefeated Bayer Leverkusen secured their first Bundesliga title on Sunday with a 5-0 victory over Werder Bremen, breaking an 11-year stranglehold on the league by Bayern Munich.
Xabi Alonso's team, who have now gone a league-record 29 matches without defeat this season to secure their first trophy since 1993, have a 16-point lead over Bayern with five matches remaining.
Leverkusen left nothing to chance and sealed their title win at the first opportunity with Florian Wirtz bagging a hat-trick in a win that stretched their unbeaten run across all competitions to a remarkable 43 games this season.
They earned a 24th minute penalty and Victor Boniface, who only recently came back after a three-month injury break, stepped up to score his first league goal since December and his 11th of the campaign.
There were more chances to double their lead in a one-sided first half, with Amine Adli also hitting the woodwork for the hosts.
Leverkusen fans run onto the pitch to celebrate their team winning the Bundesliga after the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, Sunday April 14, 2024. | Photo Credit: AP
Werder came out fighting after the break, trying to spoil the party, but Granit Xhaka's missile on the hour from 25 metres out sparked wild celebrations in the stands.
They were not yet done with substitute Wirtz adding another eight minutes later.
The Germany international, gearing up for Euro 2024 on home soil in June, bagged another in the 83rd with impatient fans then briefly running onto the pitch. He completed his hat-trick in the 90th to cap his team's five-star performance and secure the title in style. (Reporting by Karolos, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
