Page 43 - Soccer360 Issue 106

distantly in their wake. It was a dramatic season of dominance, the likes of which even die Roten couldn’t produce during their 11-year reign. Alonso’s 3-4-2-1 formation
has proved revolutionary while he’s instilled a never-say-die attitude that is almost unrivalled, with the team’s habit of scoring late goals earning them countless points and giving them an aura of invincibility.
This Bundesliga title win is the club’s first ever and marks their first trophy since 1993. The team also made huge waves in both the DFB Pokal as well as in the Europa League by reaching the final in both competitions, performing some late miracles in the process. Amazingly, along the way, Bayer Leverkusen set a new milestone for the most games in all competitions sans defeat for a European club, with their 2-2 draw against Roma in the Europa League semi-final second leg breaking Benfica’s record of 48 games that had stood from 1963 to 1965.
So how did Alonso manage to do what others have tried - and failed to achieve - for well over a decade? How did he and Bayer Leverkusen finally knock Bayern Munich
off their perch and end a stranglehold on the Bundesliga title? And will Leverkusen’s success mark a new era in the Bundesliga, where other teams will finally be able to challenge for the title, or will they prove just to be a one hit wonder or a flash in the pan with Bayern Munich regaining control of the narrative next season?
To answer the first question, one must take a look at Leverkusen’s recruitment strategy. Die Werkself brought in a solid mix of youth and experience during the summer transfer market. New acquisitions included veteran Granit Xhaka, who returned to Germany after seven years on the books at Arsenal
- a spell that had its fair share of ups and downs.
Arsenal’s loss was certainly Leverkusen’s gain, as the highly experienced Xhaka brought tenacity and grit to the middle
of the park, which provided the cover for youngster Florian Wirtz to continue to work his magic. In defence, Jeremy Frimpong continued in the same brilliant vein of form that saw the Dutch international deservedly earn a spot in the Bundesliga Team of the Season, while fellow defender Jonathan
Tah was a force to be reckoned with as he successfully marshalled a back-line that posted the strongest record in the Bundesliga.
And of course, on the attacking front, Leverkusen were in fine fettle. While Bayern Munich, spearheaded by a Harry Kane enjoying his most prolific season in front of goal, ultimately led the way in terms of goals scored, Leverkusen had the better balance. Key to this success were players like Alex Grimaldo, signed on a free from Benfica and despite being a full-back, topped the charts in assists and reached double digits in terms of goals scored.
SOCCER360 SUMMER 2024 41
SOPHOMORE SLUMP
From making history last season to struggling to barely avoid the drop - Michelle Osei Bonsu discusses what went wrong for Union Berlin this season
The second-year blues. Or, as those familiar with the American schooling system call it, “the sophomore slump”. Whatever one prefers to name it, it has been a common occurrence in sports, and football is no exception with Union Berlin becoming one of the latest outfits to experience this to some extent.
In 2019, die Eisernen secured promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in team history and quickly began making waves in the top-flight. Two years
later, they qualified for the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League after finishing seventh, and improved on that the following season by securing fifth, which was enough to earn a ticket to the Europa League.
Their rise did not stop there, as in 2023, die Eisernen qualified for fourth spot, which guaranteed them a spot in the Champions League for the first time ever. Unfortunately, this season did not reap any positive rewards. Union Berlin were eliminated in the group stages of the Champions League after picking up just two points - although they did put up a brave fight against serial winners Real Madrid - and more worryingly, faced a disturbing downturn in results in the Bundesliga.
So what went wrong? For starters,
if any team has a defender as its top goalscorer, that is a clear sign that they are lacking some serious attacking options up front. It is simply mind- boggling that Union Berlin have failed to adequately replace key attackers such
as Nigerian international Taiwo Awoniyi, who played a vital role in the team’s qualification for European competition. In addition, Union’s defensive solidarity, which was a key part of their success during the 2022-23 season, has been in utter shambles this time around due to injuries and a lack of tactical consistency. The abrupt departure of coach Urs Fischer, who masterminded Union Berlin’s promotion and subsequent qualification for all three of European club football’s competitions, and the ensuing managerial merry-go-round certainly has not helped matters one
bit. Now, they are fighting not for a European football berth, but for their survival in the top-flight.
In short, Union Berlin’s fall from grace is a cautionary tale. Regrettably, however, it is something that will be seen time and time again in football with a team that rises quickly but does not clearly have
a solid long-term plan for sustainability and competitiveness on multiple fronts.
“BAYERN MUNICH’S 11-YEAR REIGN AT THE TOP OF THE BUNDESLIGA FINALLY CAME TO AN END”
ABOVE:
Bayern Munich have finally been de- throned.