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Leverkusen’s Granit Xhaka, second from left, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening objective the German Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and 1. FSV Mainz 05 on the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, on February 23, 2024.
| Photograph Credit score: AP
Granit Xhaka scored his first objective for Bayer Leverkusen because the Bundesliga chief defeated Mainz 2-1 and set a German document of 33 video games unbeaten throughout all competitions.
Leverkusen, which hasn’t misplaced a match since final season, stretched its result in 11 factors earlier than 11-time defending champion Bayern Munich — which held the earlier unbeaten document of 32 video games — hosts Leipzig on Saturday. Eleven rounds stay after this weekend.
“We need to be the place we’re,” Xhaka mentioned.
“Once you’re eight factors, now 11 factors, forward of second-place Bayern, there’s a lot to lose. However we’ll preserve working day-to-day, recreation by recreation, keep constructive, and I am positive we’ll have the ability to preserve getting our wins.”
The buildup to Friday’s match was dominated by hypothesis over the way forward for Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, along 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 is all simply hypothesis, my head is completely right here,” Alonso repeated on Friday.
“We’ve a lot to do, we’re in such a brilliant place. So having fun with it, getting ready, and that is all that is occurring in my head.”
Supporters celebrated the German soccer league’s midweek choice to scrap its plan to usher in an outdoor investor for a share of media rights revenue by displaying a banner saying “Soccer belongs to the followers.”
They did not have to attend 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 objective on his thirty first look for the membership.
However Dominik Kohr replied for the guests with a header on the different finish 4 minutes later.
Leverkusen went on to dominate possession. The house staff’s urgency grew towards the tip of the half, when Álex Grimaldo drew a very good 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 via on objective. TV replays confirmed there was contact. Alonso was additionally booked for his complaints.
The frustration remained after the break as Leverkusen didn’t discover a means via.
Then the in any other case wonderful Zentner failed to carry Robert Andrich’s harmless-looking shot and the ball looped in over his head within the 68th. It proved sufficient for the win as Mainz’s hopes had been hit within the eightieth when Jessic Ngankam was despatched off after a VAR examine for a harmful sort out on Xhaka.
“We have performed higher,” Alonso mentioned.
“However that is regular in a season, you possibly can’t all the time play tremendous.”
