Bayer Leverkusen vs FC Augsburg. German Bundesliga.
BayArenaAttendance30,210.
Bayer Leverkusen completed the first unbeaten Bundesliga season with a 2-1 victory over Augsburg on the final day of the season; they have become the first team in Europe's top five men's leagues to go unbeaten in a season since Juventus in 2011-12; Bayern Munich lost and finished third
Saturday 18 May 2024 16:55, UK
Bayer Leverkusen became the first Bundesliga side to go a whole league season unbeaten as they beat Augsburg in their final game 2-1.
Xabi Alonso's champions, who sealed the title on April 14, took a 2-0 half-time lead through goals from Victor Boniface and Robert Andrich and despite Mert Komur pulling one back for the visitors, Leverkusen held on to round off their historic campaign with victory.
Leverkusen have now become the first team in Europe's top five leagues to go an entire league season unbeaten since Juventus in 2011-12. They finish the current Bundesliga season on 90 points from 34 games, 17 points ahead of second-placed Stuttgart.
Bayern Munich, who were without Harry Kane on the final day due to injury, lost 4-2 to Hoffenheim to slip down to third place.
Leverkusen are also unbeaten in all competitions this season and have moved their record-extending unbeaten run to 51 matches.
The Bundesliga winners now have the Europa League final with Atalanta on Wednesday, before taking on second-tier Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final next Saturday.
Xabi Alonso has challenged his Bayer Leverkusen squad to make the most of their "unique" opportunity to cap an unbeaten Bundesliga campaign with more European and domestic success.
Leverkusen can still claim two more pieces of silverware - with the Europa League final against Atalanta in Dublin on Wednesday followed by facing second-tier Kaiserslautern in the DFB-Pokal final next weekend.
Alonso admits it will take some time for his side's Bundesliga achievements to sink in - but knows focus must quickly switch to further extending their historic unbeaten run, which now stands at 51 games across all competitions.
"To reach 90 points is extremely strong. The record is 91, we just missed that, but to remain undefeated is extraordinary," Alonso said at a press conference.
"This achievement is outstanding, not only in Germany but also in Europe. From tomorrow we have our next big goals in sight - the next week is unique with these opportunities."
Alonso continued: "The fans can celebrate today. We will enjoy it and then recover tomorrow.
"It is an important day for the club and it is totally deserved to become champions undefeated, unbelievable, so we will need some time to let that sink in.
"Our team has written itself into Bundesliga history. In 20 years we will look back and all be able to say: 'wow, we were there'."
Deposed champions Bayern Munich suffered the misery of dropping to third place after a 4-2 defeat at Hoffenheim, for whom Andrej Kramaric's blasted a remarkable second-half hat-trick.
Bayern, who were without the injured Harry Kane, led 2-0 after just six minutes at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena thanks to Mathys Tel and Alphonso Davies.
Maximilian Beier's eighth-minute strike dragged the hosts back into it, but the fireworks arrived after the break with Kramaric levelling with 68 minutes gone before scoring twice more inside the final five minutes.
Serhou Guirassy's double helped Stuttgart take full advantage as they leapfrogged Thomas Tuchel's men into second place after a 4-0 demolition of Borussia Monchengladbach.
Guirassy's efforts put the home side 2-0 up at the break, with substitutes Jeong Woo-yeong and Silas Katompa Mvumpa completing the job in the second half.
RB Leipzig finished fourth after they drew 2-2 at Eintracht Frankfurt despite taking a two-goal lead.
Xavi Simon's penalty and Benjamin Sesko's goal looked to have put them in the driving seat, but Hugo Ekitike and Omar Marmoush, who levelled from the spot, ensured the spoils were shared.
Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund are already assured of a place in next season's competition, and ended the campaign in fifth following a 4-0 home win over relegated Darmstadt with goals from Ian Maatsen, Marco Reus, Julian Brandt and Donyell Malen.
At the other end of the table, Cologne's relegation was confirmed by a 4-1 defeat at Heidenheim.
Two goals from Eren Dinkci and a third from Kevin Sessa put the home side in control and although Steffen Tigges pulled one back, Jan-Niklas Beste hammered the final nail into the visitors' coffin.
Substitute Janik Haberer came to Union Berlin's rescue in the nick of time as he fired home a stoppage-time winner against Freiburg to keep them out of the bottom three.
Union, who started the day in the relegation play-off place, led through Benedict Hollerbach's goal, but were pegged back by Ritsu Doan before Haberer struck in stoppage time to clinch a 2-1 victory lifted his side into 15th place.
Instead, it will be Bochum who have to fight for their top-flight lives in a play-off against Fortuna Dusseldorf after a 4-1 defeat at Werder Bremen, for whom Marco Friedl, Anthony Jung, Jens Stage and Romano Schmid scored with Christoper Antwi-Adjei replying.
Elsewhere, goals from Brajan Gruda, Sepp van den Berg and Jonathan Burkardt, after Kevin Paredes had put the home side ahead, handed Mainz a 3-1 win at Wolfsburg.
