49 Unbeaten Matches: Bayer Leverkusen Sets Phenomenal Football Record
The football club Bayer 04 from Leverkusen, after drawing 2-2 against AS Roma on May 9 in the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg, not only secured their spot in the tournament final but also set a unique record — 49 consecutive official matches without defeat across all competitions. This was reported by The Guardian.
In the reporting game, Roma had to win by at least two goals, as they lost the first leg 2-0. The Romans took the lead at the end of the first half and doubled their advantage in the middle of the second. However, in the 82nd minute, Bayer scored one goal, and in the seventh added minute of the match, they levelled the score, bringing the match to a 2-2 draw. This is not the first time this season that Bayer has escaped defeat in stoppage time.
It's worth noting that the previous unbeaten streak record in football lasted 59 years. It was held by Portuguese side Benfica, who went 48 matches without losing from 1963 to 1965. The longer duration taken by Benfica to achieve this feat compared to Bayer Leverkusen is due to the fact that teams nowadays play significantly more matches in a season than they did 60 years ago.
Other notable unbeaten runs include Croatian clubs Dinamo Zagreb and Rijeka, who went 45 matches without defeat in the 2014-2015 and 2016-2017 seasons, respectively. Rangers from Scotland also had a 44-match unbeaten streak in the 1992-1993 season, as did Juventus in the 2011-2012 season, with 43 consecutive matches without defeat.
Currently, Bayer Leverkusen is having its most successful season ever. They clinched the German championship title early, becoming unreachable for Bayern Munich five matches before the end. Additionally, they won the German Cup and are contenders for the Europa League trophy. If they manage to win this tournament, they will achieve a "treble" — another rare feat in football where a team wins all three major competitions they participate in during a season.
Also, The Gaze reported that in the final of the most prestigious club football tournament - the UEFA Champions League - Borussia Dortmund will face Real Madrid. They will compete for the trophy at London's Wembley Stadium on June 1.