- Derek Rae
Aug 22, 2024, 09:00 AM ET
Upon strolling alongside the Bismarckstraße and into the compact BayArena in Leverkusen on Saturday, to commentate on the DFL-Supercup decider, it occurred to me that this is a keep apart the keep apart despite the actual fact that now no longer everyone is aware of your title, they accomplish have in mind your face.
It is precisely the identical in reverse. I lost depend of the likelihood of familiar-looking out, smiling stewards and press field workers I came across and reflexively with a huge smile, uttered words like “ah, you are assist” or “was as soon because it handiest the day prior to this we had been final here?” illustrating the ecstatic shared expertise of an exhilarating 2023-24 season below the Bayer-Kreuz.
Bayer Leverkusen turned something of an most now presumably no longer behavior to shatter final season for these of us immersed in German soccer. Their sumptuous passing and pressing soccer with Xabi Alonso’s distinctive handwriting, irresistible in its execution. The Werkself, as in the occasion that they require this, given their other qualities, accomplish late heroics better than any top-level team in novel soccer: Their 20 targets in the eighty fifth minute or later was as soon as the most amongst all Bundesliga golf equipment, as was as soon as their four sport-tying targets in that time physique. The joke is, even after the final whistle has long gone, you suspect Alonso’s XI will one way or the other gentle gain a path to the opposition’s obtain.
On Saturday evening, there was as soon as more of that Laterkusen drama. Trailing 2-1 in opposition to an glorious and resourceful VfB Stuttgart, Bayer 04 stumbled on the great final-ditch system as soon as more, and this time had the temerity to accomplish it having played for hundreds of of the match whereas down to 10 men. Martin Terrier‘s open-sole, mistaken-drive predicament on Ermedin Demirovic sealed the Frenchman’s destiny and made a comeback from 2-1 down now presumably no longer.
Patrik Schick‘s 88th-minute leveller location the stage, even though, for Leverkusen to create penalty perfection in the shootout whereas captain and goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky saved a situation kick from Frans Krätzig to place the difference.
Having covered this August flee for food-whetter for the unique campaign on a huge form of times, I will have the ability to truthfully divulge it was as soon as the preferrred Supercup version in years. It’ll arrive as no surprise that we had been treated to this form of wild, frenzied, yet gentle technically and tactically compelling occasion. Finally, the tip head-to-head fits in German domestic soccer final season had been the pair of draws between Leverkusen and Stuttgart to boot to the DFB-Pokal quarterfinal epic secured by one other Bayer purpose at the loss of life, this time from Jonathan Tah.
I demand both facets to pick out prominently in the upper echelons of the Bundesliga this season. Leverkusen are the customary setters and I have confidence initiate as favourites to take the Meisterschale as soon as more with a squad arguably even stronger than earlier than, because it stands.
Aleix García, signed from Girona, is the true central midfielder for Alonso: neat and relaxed on the ball with a penchant for deliveries.
I have been told largely by of us that place now no longer look the Bundesliga that Leverkusen “did a Leicester.” Initially, does handiest English soccer relish romantic narratives? No. Secondly, Leverkusen, in finishing the critical ever unbeaten domestic season by a German team and coming internal a level of equalling the Bundesliga aspects document over a single campaign and lifting the DFB-Pokal, place themselves at the very best seemingly altar of abundant facets.
Stuttgart showed at the weekend that even having lost key men Waldemar Anton, Hiroki Ito and Serhou Guirassy, manager Sebastian Hoeness has a squad that, thanks to carrying director Fabian Wohlgemuth and his employees, now belongs in a solid German top 5.
I’m specifically intrigued by the aptitude alliance of Demirovic and the now completely signed Deniz Undav. Jeff Chabot from Cologne might maybe presumably perhaps just flip out to be one amongst the signings of the summer.
Saturday’s showdown was as soon as the critical Supercup duel since 2011 now no longer to characteristic Bayern Munich, which brings us to the perennial elephant in the room. Some will treat final season as an aberration and demand Germany’s most a hit club to streamroll their way assist to the summit, nevertheless there are quiz marks about that, specifically thinking relating to the calculated gamble director of sport Max Eberl and the Bayern decision makers relish taken by appointing Vincent Kompany as coach.
Fetch final season’s complications in fact been solved? The central defensive pecking speak looks at risk of favour Kim Min-Jae and Dayot Upamecano rather than Eric Dier this time round,