April 14, 2024, the day of Xabi Alonso’s official baptism in Leverkusen. The players of the western German team celebrated winning the title surrounded by many liters of German society’s best festive ally, beer. The Toledo native has experienced firsthand this tradition that happens at the end of each season and is carried out by the league champions.
What the former Madrid player has achieved with Bayer Leverkusen is a feat that will be remembered for a long time by all football fans. Not only has he managed to break the hegemony of Bayern Munich, which had won the last 11 editions of the Bundesliga, but he has also won the first league title in the club’s history.
Despite still having five games left in the championship, the 16-point cushion over the second placed team allows Bayer Leverkusen to become Bundesliga champions. It became official when Xabi Alonso’s team defeated Werder Bremen with great success (5-0) on Sunday afternoon. And, after the final whistle, absolute madness. The euphoric fans have caused an invasion of the field to celebrate this historic event.
Later, in the locker room, the team’s players and coaching staff celebrated in their own way. Hugs, songs, congratulations and beer. A lot of beer. Josip Stanicic, one of the Leverkusen players, in fact, has dared to bathe Xabi Alonso in beer. The man from Toulouse did not seem to care about his defender’s audacity, as he reacted with a smile while, in passing, he took a sip from the fifth that he was holding in his hands and from a huge glass that one of the members of the coaching staff gave him. Other footballers have also wanted to join the cause.
All in all, it is an afternoon of absolute festivity in the North Rhine-Westphalian city. Of course, Bayer Leverkusen’s hangover should not last long, as they still have very ambitious challenges ahead of them. The first of them, maintaining their undefeated status in the Bundesliga. And, the most important, fight for the triplet; Xabi Alonso’s men must play in the final of the German Cup, the DFB Pokal, and have a foot and a half in the semifinals of the Europa League. And, if this ends up happening, there will be more beer baptisms from the Spanish coach.
