Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen equalled one of the best begin to a Bundesliga season in historical past as they returned to the highest of the desk with a dominant 4-0 house win over Union Berlin on Sunday.
The victory means Leverkusen have amassed 31 of a attainable 33 factors after 11 matches, equal to the report set by Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich in 2015-16.
Bayern’s 4-2 victory over Heidenheim noticed the Bavarians spend Saturday evening atop the standings however Alonso’s males have been dominant on Sunday, profitable with targets from Alex Grimaldo, Odilon Kossounou, Jonathan Tah and Nathan Tella.
Alonso praised his “affected person” workforce, saying “we’re very happy with what we have performed from the earlier worldwide break to this one… a number of away video games and each sport a win.”
“The sensation is nice for the time being.”
“That was clear — a transparent distinction at school,” Union supervisor Urs Fischer mentioned to DAZN, saying his facet have been in a “relegation battle.”
Leverkusen defender Florian Wirtz lower holes within the Union defence early however striker Victor Boniface was astray, blasting broad twice within the opening minutes.
The house facet hit the lead after 24 minutes, Grimaldo stopping on the sting of the field earlier than chipping a dipping shot over Union goalie Frederik Ronnow.
Grimaldo, 28, who was referred to as as much as the Spain squad for the primary time this week, has six targets within the league since shifting from Benfica in the summertime.
Union misplaced centre-back Leonardo Bonucci to damage early and struggled to comprise the house facet’s fast passing, a wide-open Boniface heading instantly at Ronnow late within the first half.
Kossounou headed in a Jonas Hofmann nook halfway by means of the second-half to double the house facet’s lead. It was the Ivorian’s aim for Leverkusen in his third season on the membership.
Germany centre-back Tah hammered in a nook with simply over quarter-hour remaining.
Tella scored two minutes after approaching, the winger ending a length-of-the-field assault for his facet’s fourth.
Leverkusen have now received 16 and drawn one in every of 17 video games in all competitions this season.
Union Berlin, who completed fourth to qualify for the Champions League final season, end the weekend backside of the desk, having misplaced their final 9 in a row.
Elsewhere on Sunday, RB Leipzig received 3-1 at house to Freiburg to leapfrog Borussia Dortmund into fourth place.
Paris Saint-Germain loanee Xavi Simons opened the scoring after simply six minutes for Leipzig, however Freiburg’s Merlin Rohl scored spectacular solo aim to degree the scores simply earlier than half-time.
Belgian striker Lois Openda gave Leipzig the lead from the spot with ten minutes remaining, Christoph Baumgartner scoring a minute later to seal the win for the house facet.
Eintracht Frankfurt got here from two targets down to attract 2-2 at Werder Bremen.
Bremen striker Marvin Ducksch celebrated his first Germany call-up with a penalty and Rafael Borre scored to provide Bremen a 2-0 lead, however Ellyes Skhiri and Hrvoje Smolcic scored second-half targets to claw again some extent.
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