Bayer Leverkusen two games away from retaining the DFB Pokal

Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen wrote their name in gold letters last season. They won the Bundesliga unbeaten, but Atalanta snatched the Europa League from them. The German team's ambition is to fight for the league title against Bayern Munich as long as the mathematics allow. And the impression is that the scenario they have most in their favour is the cup.

They will visit Arminia Bielefeld this Tuesday (20:45) in the semi-finals. On the other side, Stuttgart-RB Leipzig. Perhaps the biggest setback Xabi Alonso has received since he has been at the BayArena is the manner in which he was knocked out of the Champions League. More than because of the opponent or the round.

The Bavarian enemy thrashed him 0-5 on aggregate in the last 16. And in the Bundesliga they have the upper hand. However, the DFB Pokal is the only place where Bayer Leverkusen have beaten Bayern Munich this season.

It happened on 3 December 2024 in the round of 16. At the Allianz Arena, Nathan Tella popped up in the 69th minute to make it 1-0. Arminia Bielefeld is the obstacle that separates Xabi Alonso from another final with Bayer Leverkusen.