Bayer Leverkusen first team to win Bundesliga undefeated

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Bayer Leverkusen, a soccer team in Germany, made history by finishing the Bundesliga season without losing a single game. 

They won their final match against Augsburg 2-1 on Saturday. It was their 28th win of the season.

Leverkusen ended the season with 90 points, just one point less than the record set by Bayern Munich in 2012-13. They also tied six games. Bayern Munich finished in third place this year. This is the first time since 2010-11 that they didn’t finish in first or second place.

Leverkusen didn’t lose in any competitions this season. They made it to the finals of the German Cup and the Europa League tournaments

Their coach, Xabi Alonso, is proud of the team’s achievement

Earlier this month, Leverkusen tied 2-2 with Roma in the Europa League semi-finals. That game extended their unbeaten streak to 49 games. They broke the record of 48 games without a loss set by Benfica from December 1963 to February 1965.

Leverkusen’s unbeaten streak started with an 8-0 win against FC Teutonia Ottensen in the German Cup on August 12. 

With Alonso as coach, Leverkusen didn’t lose in 34 Bundesliga games, five German Cup matches, and 12 Europa League games. They won 42 of those matches. They won the Bundesliga title this year and ended Bayern Munich’s 11-year dominance

Leverkusen plays against Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final on May 25 and Atalanta in the Europa League final on May 22. If they win both, they’ll achieve a treble, which means winning three major trophies in one season.

Vocabulary

  • Make history – to do something important that has not been done before and will be recorded publicly and remembered for a long time
  • Season – a time period or time of year when a sport is played; a fixed/set number of games for one year of a sport
  • Single – only one; one
  • Match – A match is a game or contest between two teams or individuals where they try to win by playing a sport
  • Record – the most or least ever; the highest level ever; achieved/done for the first time.
  • Set a record – to achieve/do something better or more significant than anyone has done before; the most or least ever measured
  • Tie – To have the same score or result as someone else; when two teams in a game have the same score
  • Place – position or rank in a competition/tournament; 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, etc.
  • Competition – contest; game to find the best or a winner; tournament
  • Final – The last round/game of a competition
  • Tournament – a contest or competition with only one winner after many games/rounds
  • Coach – manager; the boss of a team
  • Proud – feeling pleased and satisfied with one’s achievements or possessions; to feel good about yourself
  • Achievement – Something great or impressive that someone has done; 
  • Semi-final – The game that comes before the final game in a tournament; the winners of semi-final games go the final game
  • Extend – To make something longer or go further; 
  • Unbeaten – Not defeated; not having lost any games
  • Streak – A series of successes or achievements; A series of events that happen one after another
  • Break a record – better or more extreme than anything that has come before
  • Title – the position of being the champion of a major sports competition; the holder of the first prize trophy
  • Dominance – Being the best or most powerful over others; When someone is much better than everyone else for a long time
  • Treble – Winning three major competitions in the same season; 
  • Major – very important, big or significant
  • Trophy – A prize given to the winner of a game or competition; 🏆

Quiz

1. 
How many games did Leverkusen tie in the Bundesliga season?

2. 
What record did Leverkusen break?

3. 
Leverkusen played against Bayern Munich in the final match of the Bundesliga season

Discussion Questions

  • How important do you think the coach is to a team’s success?
  • What qualities do you think helped Bayer Leverkusen achieve such a long unbeaten streak?
  • How do you think Leverkusen can continue their success into the next season?
  • Can you think of any other sports teams that have achieved similar unbeaten runs?

Original Story

Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice

Listen to the story (Irish accent)

Bayer Leverkusen, a _____ team in Germany, made history by finishing the Bundesliga season _____ losing a single game.

They won their final match _____ Augsburg 2-1 on Saturday. It was their 28th win of the season.

Leverkusen _____ the season with 90 points, just one point less than the record set _____ Bayern Munich in 2012-13. They also tied six games. Bayern Munich _____ in third place this year. This is the first time since 2010-11 that they didn’t _____ in first or second place.

Leverkusen didn’t lose in any _____ this season. They made it to the finals of the German Cup and the Europa League _____.

Their coach, Xabi Alonso, is _____ of the team’s achievement.

Earlier this month, Leverkusen _____ 2-2 with Roma in the Europa League semi-finals. That game _____ their unbeaten streak to 49 games. They broke the record of _____ games without a loss set by Benfica from December 1963 to February _____.

Leverkusen’s unbeaten streak _____ with an 8-0 win against FC Teutonia Ottensen in the German Cup _____ August 12.

With Alonso as _____, Leverkusen didn’t lose in 34 Bundesliga games, five German Cup _____, and 12 Europa League games. They won _____ of those matches. They won the Bundesliga title this year and ended Bayern Munich’s _____-year dominance.

Leverkusen _____ against Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final on May _____ and Atalanta in the Europa League final on May 22. If they _____ both, they’ll achieve a treble, which means winning _____ major trophies in one season.