Granit Xhaka’s wonder goal sealed a domestic league and cup double for Bayer Leverkusen as they beat Kaiserslautern to win the DFB Pokal.
The victory means Xabi Alonso’s side complete an unprecedented unbeaten season in Germany, and land the club’s first-ever double.
It was the perfect response after tripping up in their only defeat of the season on Wednesday night as they lost 3-0 to Atalanta in the Europa League Final.
Former Arsenal midfielder Xhaka scored the only goal of the game against Leverkusen’s second division opponents.
His sweetly struck strike from twenty-five yards was enough to see Leverkusen take home the trophy, but it became a battling performance once they were reduced to ten men just before half time.
Bayer Leverkusen celebrate winning the DFB Pokal to bag an undefeated German double
Granit Xhaka scored the only goal of the game with this sizzling strike to beat Kaiserslautern
Xabi Alonso led the side to their first-ever double and first German cup win since 1993
Defender Odilon Kossounou was shown a second yellow card on the stroke of half time for a mistimed tackle on Boris Tomiak.
Yet, the German champions controlled the game, even with the disadvantage, to win their only their second German Cup and their first since their maiden win in 1993.
Kaiserslautern rarely threatened after the break with Leverkusen comfortably holding on to cap a memorable season with a second trophy.
‘It was a deserved victory,’ said club CEO Fernando Carro. ‘We could have added another goal but overall a fully deserved win. We lifted the Cup after we failed to do so Wednesday. Compliments to the team to win this double.’
Long derided as ‘Neverkusen’ for their failure to win a major title since that 1993 Cup win, the club have seen off all-comers this season to dominate German football.
The players celebrate Xhaka’s winning goal as they bag the German Cup to go with the league
Even Odilon Kossounou’s red card couldn’t derail Bayer Leverkusen’s evening in Berlin
Leverkusen finished 17-points clear of second-place Stuttgart in the final Bundesliga standings, with Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich a point further back in third place.
It saw Alonso become the first Leverkusen boss to lead them to the league title, and did it without losing a single game all campaign.
The Spainarid’s exploits had seen him linked to a number of Europe’s top jobs, including the vacant posts at both former clubs Liverpool and Bayern Munich.
However, Alonso has committed his future to Leverkusen ahead of the club’s Champions League campaign and title defence next season.
