Xabi Alonso's team, who have now gone a league-record 29 matches without defeat this season to secure their first trophy since 1993, have a 16-point lead over Bayern with five matches remaining.

Bayern's win means Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen, 13 points clear of the Bavarians, need to beat Werder Bremen on Sunday to lift the Bundesliga for the first time.

Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen of 2023-24 stand on the cusp of greatness, with just 11 matches theoretically between them and a record undefeated season for a top-five European league team.

With 24 wins and four draws in the league this season, Leverkusen are on the cusp of going through a Bundesliga season undefeated.

Leverkusen head into Thursday's home first leg against West Ham in the Europa League quarter-finals unbeaten in 41 matches this season, with 36 wins and five draws.

Bayer Leverkusen are just three points from a first Bundesliga title after a 1-0 win at Union Berlin on Saturday, with Bayern Munich letting a 2-0 lead slip to lose 3-2 at Heidenheim.

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso insisted Friday it was "still too early" to talk about the Bundesliga title despite his team being 13 points clear at the top of the table.

Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen overwhelmed second division club Fortuna Dusseldorf 4-0 on Wednesday to reach the German Cup final and stretch their unbeaten run to 40 matches across all competitions this season.

Last-gasp goals from Robert Andrich and Patrik Schick kept Bayer Leverkusen's undefeated record this season alive with a 2-1 home win over Hoffenheim on Saturday.

Saturday's "Der Klassiker" between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will unusually not be about controlling the title race or taking over the top spot in the German Bundesliga.

Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso ended speculation of a potential move to one of his former clubs Liverpool or Bayern Munich in the close season when the Spaniard said on Friday that he was committed to staying with the Bundesliga leaders.

Florian Wirtz scored after 84 seconds as Bayer Leverkusen made it 38 games unbeaten in all competitions with a 3-2 victory in Freiburg on Sunday.

Nathan Tella and Florian Wirtz scored as Bayer Leverkusen beat 10-man Wolfsburg 2-0 on Sunday to edge their team closer to a maiden Bundesliga title.

Xabi Alonso has taken Bayer Leverkusen to the brink of their first Bundesliga title, but the rising star of European coaching could soon be on the move to Liverpool or Bayern Munich.

Bayer Leverkusen tightened their grip at the top of the Bundesliga with a 2-0 victory over 10-man Cologne to pull 10 points clear of Bayern Munich.

Bayern Munich must follow their 2-1 victory over RB Leipzig with a winning run to get their season back on track, forward Harry Kane said.

Xabi Alonso said on Friday links to Liverpool and Bayern Munich were "just speculation" and that his "head is here" as he strives to take his record-breaking Bayer Leverkusen side to a first Bundesliga title.

A long-range shot from Robert Andrich took Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen to a 2-1 home win against Mainz on Friday, setting a new German record of 33 games unbeaten.

Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel said he was not the only one responsible for his team's bad form and hoped the club's decision to part ways with him at the end of the season would liberate him and his players for the remainder of the campaign.

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said Thursday it was "not the right moment for me to talk about" his future, with the in-demand coach linked to Bayern Munich and Liverpool.