Bayer Leverkusen’s double-winning heroes braved the rain to celebrate an unforgettable season in which they were unbeaten in domestic competitions.
Xabi Alonso’s team added the DFB-Pokal title to their Bundesliga title by beating second division Kaiserslautern 1-0 in Berlin on Saturday evening and celebrated in style at home.
They took a bus parade through the streets of Leverkusen before thousands of fans greeted them for a celebration at the Bay Arena.
The heavens opened as Alonso led his players onto the podium, but the mood was not dampened after a remarkable campaign.
Leverkusen remained unbeaten in all 34 games in the Bundesliga, achieving 90 points and finishing 17 points ahead of Stuttgart in second place and 18 points ahead of Bayern Munich, champions for the past eleven seasons.
Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso holding the DFB-Pokal trophy in the pouring rain as they celebrated an incredible undefeated domestic season
Leverkusen’s players enjoyed a ticker tape welcome back to the BayArena after adding the German Cup to their Bundesliga title this weekend
The rain made it a bit swampy in the BayArena, but it didn’t dampen the mood
Granit Xhaka and his teammates waved smoke flares in the open-top bus during the parade
It was the team’s first-ever Bundesliga title, having finished second five times previously.
Die Werkself won a further six games and thus the German Cup, culminating in former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka’s winning goal against Kaiserslautern on Saturday evening.
It was the club’s second success in the competition, the last being in 1993.
They had also gone a further 12 games without defeat in the UEFA Europa League before Atalanta dashed their dreams of a completely unbeaten season by beating them 3-0 in the Dublin final last Wednesday.
But that hardly dampened spirits as Alonso described it as a “dream season” after Saturday night’s win, which came despite Odilon Kossounou’s red card in the 44th minute.
‘It’s a huge success to win the Double. We will remember this in the future,” Alonso said.
The players toured the streets of Leverkusen in a bus during the victory celebrations
Tens of thousands of happy Leverkusen fans celebrated what has been an incredible season
The heavens opened, but that probably couldn’t dampen the mood after Leverkusen’s double victory
‘The most important thing was the belief of the team. They were ready for battle with 10 players and I am proud of that.
‘I need time to accept what happened this season. It was a dream season and to celebrate the last day here like this is special.’
Spanish coach Alonso, 42, rejected overtures from Liverpool, Bayern Munich and elsewhere to stay at Leverkusen next season and manage them in the Champions League.
He was the center of the celebrations on Sunday and got soaked as he lifted the two cups onto a stage at the BayArena as thousands of cheering fans looked on.
Xabi Alonso writes his name in the golden book during a civic reception for the team
Bayer Leverkusen celebrates winning the DFB Pokal and records an unbeaten German double
Granit Xhaka scored the only goal of the match with this thrilling goal and defeated Kaiserslautern
Xhaka, 31, who is having a fantastic season, was among the players waving red smoke flares from the deck of the bus as it paraded through the city.
Showing off their medals, the players downed huge glasses of beer on the bus after visiting Leverkusen City Hall to sign a golden book in the company of Mayor Uwe Richrath.