Bayer Leverkusen in Germany maintains its unbeaten streak, matching a 59-year-old record.
In comparison to numerous matches this season, Leverkusen never lost their lead and had five different goal scorers - Granit Xhaka, Patrik Schick, Exequiel Palacios, Jeremie Frimpong, and Victor Okoh Boniface - in their convincing victory at Frankfurt's Deutsche Bank Park.
This triumph led to Leverkusen equalling a record for the most extended unbeaten streak in top-tier matches since the advent of European competitions, as per UEFA. They currently share this milestone with Portuguese titan Benfica, which set the record between 1963-65.
Leverkusen has the opportunity to surpass this record on Thursday when they face Roma in the second leg of their Europa League semifinal.
The all-time mark of 62 games undefeated was established by Scottish club Celtic from 1915-1917, although these matches were solely within their domestic league.
In the aftermath of Sunday's match, Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso addressed reporters, stating, "Our level, our consistency throughout the season is remarkable. However, we are always moving forward, focused on the work and striving for improvement."
This year, Bayer Leverkusen has achieved extraordinary feats by securing the Bundesliga title (their maiden one in the club's 119-year history, dethroning Bayern Munich's nine-year reign), reaching the German Cup final, and taking a 2-0 advantage into their Europa League semifinal's second leg.
The unbeaten streak has captivated the world of soccer, with credit due to manager Alonso's determination to cultivate a never-give-up mentality in his players. Leverkusen has developed a reputation for producing last-minute goals when the odds are stacked against them.
Yet, Alonso, formerly a Spanish icon, is not impressed by his team's accomplishments thus far and seeks to preserve their remarkable streak until the season's end.
Leverkusen is still left with two league matches against ninth-ranked Augsburg and 14th-ranked VfL Bochum, the German Cup final against second division FC Kaiserslautern, the semifinal second leg against Roma, and a potential Europa League final to tackle.
"It would be an ideal run. We will undoubtedly try," Alonso said.
"We still have games to play to realize our ambitions in all competitions. The next match is crucial for us; it's the second leg of the Europa League semifinal: an opportunity to reach the final."
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After securing a convincing victory against Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen is eager to surpass the record of 62 unbeaten games in top-tier matches, originally set by Scottish club Celtic. With the second leg of the Europa League semifinal against Roma approaching, Leverkusen fans are keeping their fingers crossed for even more football triumphs.
Source: edition.cnn.com
