Didi Hamann says Bayer Leverkusen will be a handful for everyone next season if the team stays together

Bayer Leverkusen could be a juggernaut…again.

Former Bayern Munich, Newcastle United, Liverpool FC, and Manchester City midfielder Didi Hamann was thorough impressed with the job that Xabi Alonso did at Bayer Leverkusen this season.

With Alonso’s recent decision to stay with Die Werkself, Hamann thinks the club is just growing more confident.

“Well, obviously they’ve got a huge belief. So even if it goes to injury time and they’re behind, they still believe they can get an equalizer or even win the game. I think they’ve done it now seven or eight times alone in 2024, not even counting before the turn of the year. A huge belief. Very good players who stand up when the going gets tough. And then especially what happens in the weekend again at Dortmund. I think you need a slice of luck as well,” Hamann told Free Bets. “They seem to have luck on their side at the minute with so many late goals, but you’ve got to give it to them, it’s end of April now, they’re still unbeaten. What an achievement. It’s exceptional. It’s unbelievable. It’s very hard to put into words what they’ve done this season so far.”

As for what fans in the Bundesliga should expect from Bayer Leverkusen next season, well, Hamann says if the team stays together (a tall task), it will — again — be a force to be reckoned with under Alonso.

“Well, he’s won the league once. Now obviously they want to defend the title because that will be that. Bayern Munich loses the title at some stage after ten or eleven years was obvious. But if they lose it to a team that follows up, that would be a statement,” said Hamann. “In the Champions League, he’s a guy who’s obviously won the Champions League multiple times, who’s got a great record there. I think that’s a pinnacle for a manager to win the Champions League. And that’s obviously what he wants to do. And I think there’s a chance if they stay together, you don’t know with injuries, but if they do stay together, I think there’s a chance they really go far in the competition next season.”