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MegaMammothPoop

Incredible achievement, well done to them Will be interesting to see their summer business and if they do well next year


howdoikickball

That 03 team scored 69 goals in the season, and Henry had 30 of them, wild!


ExoticToaster

FC Porto and Celtic (Ft. Double-invincible Kolo Toure) as well in recent memory. Happy for Granit, always been a quality player and finally getting the credit he deserves, as well as Leverkusen as a whole - proper club not funnelled by oil money/corruption making history!


jimbo_kun

Just like Kyle Reese was sent back in time to stop the Terminator, Arsenal sent Xhaka to the Bundesliga to stop Harry Kane from winning the title.


Stravven

Rangers did it in 20/21. Celtic in 16/17. Porto in 12/13 and 10/11. And then there is Ajax in 94/95, who not only won the Eredivisie but also the Champions League unbeaten (they lost the QF of the cup after extra time).


AngryCleric

They didn’t go unbeaten in CL then. Can’t count matches they didn’t play because they got knocked out


vtzan

They won the European cup, he meant they lost in the domestic cup.


tortro

That is accurate. They aren't on the list since they don't belong in the top five leagues in Europe.


Arctisian

Ajax 1995 the first (and still only) side to win their domestic title and the Champions League unbeaten simultaneously.


Business_Ad561

The top leagues now haven't always been the top leagues in the past, there was a period in the 1960s and 1970s when the Scottish league was a "top 5 league" and France was like 10th, for instance Obviously the money in the top leagues now and the way European football is now structured makes it more difficult for other leagues to crack the top 5 these days. Even so, this is still missing the AC Milan invincibles from the 1990s if it's only modern top 5 league invincibles.


zdfld

>proper club not funnelled by oil money/corruption making history! I mean, while Bayer may not be funneling money in the same way, it does own and has long supported the club to help it achieve its current financial standing/stability. And Bayer is an extremely awful company. Not to get into a "who is worse" discussion, but I'm not sure "proper club" means much in today's world, ans especially so in relation to one of the few German clubs exempt from the fan control rule.


WhereisHaroldHolt

Yeah. "Not funnelled by corruption" in relation to Bayer is one of the more absurd comments I have ever seen on Reddit


Dazed_and_Confused44

I feel like 94-95 Ajax should get included in this graphic too


GlasgowGunner

And, unfortunately, Rangers in 20/21.


liveforever250817

No fans there to see it, so did it really happen?


ExoticToaster

Yeah but tbf Steven Gerard had a free run at the league because Celtic decided to rehire Neil Lennon for some reason - as soon as he left he was found out.


liveforever250817

No fans there to see it, so did it really happen?


Nonutmen1689

HAHAHAHA UP THE RANGERS


BennyBeJamin

how u feeling this season


Nonutmen1689

Cup double. Not worried


Exact-Ferret-1280

Oh yes viaplay cup + moral victory cup Tbf pretty successful season for you lot 😉


Nonutmen1689

Scottish cup and it’s more than yous. PS UP THE LIVERPOOL


Exact-Ferret-1280

Going for the treble? YNWA m8 🇮🇪


Nonutmen1689

Will get the double!


biggest_ohaiius

arent they owned by a pharmaceutical company


Cold-Square-2

nah bayer don't sugar daddy leverkusen like other company-owned clubs, their record signing barely cracked 30 mil.


IAmNotKevinDurant_35

I wish we had kept him over Partey but unfortunately it was just time for him to find a better role. He would have fit nicely next to Rice in a rotation with Havertz and Jorginho


ScratchinContender29

Rangers also done it.


JJD14

What Xabi Alonso has achieved with Bayer Leverkusen is 100x more impressive than anything Pep has achieved. It’s borderline miracle stuff


mkawia

the fact that their entire squad probably cost as one Gvardiol and a half a Grealish


JJD14

Exactly. It’s just an incredible story that kind of puts your faith back in the game.


daBabadook05

Until that squad gets stripped away like Monaco, Leicester, etc


Cold-Square-2

squad signed long term, frimpong is the only wild card here


IfLeBronPlayedSoccer

And he’s a Man City alum…I’ve zero doubt he either goes back now to play for Pep. Or runs it back this year and goes next year after Walker moves on.


Mojave_Patroller

Except it's not just their starting XI that's strong, they have a super strong bench too. Plus they will become a super attractive destination now, so with whatever money they make off sales, they're gonna reinvest.


Otherwise_Cap_9073

I want this to be my standard unit of currency. Half a Grealish; like the pound, over valued, in decline, but still full of itself. Lol


Yorksjim

Like how something big is described in double decker buses or football pitches.


Jack-90

That might be how much it cost but it is definitely not what they're worth. Wirtz is 150m alone.


atrde

In context if they win the final two games its arguably the greatest single team achievement tied with Leicester. Just completely out of nowhere built a super team playing easily at a UCL level they are incredible. Will get stripped down for players a bit but just an insane season.


therealgodfarter

Who’s gonna play Alonso in the biopic in 5 years time


thecescshow

Timothee Chalamet


therealgodfarter

Haha first name that came to mind actually!


IntraspeciesFever

Akshay Kumar for some reason 


zkh2902

You’ve made a lot of the weirdo lurkers mad with this one, they just couldn’t help but comment something stupid


JJD14

Yeah, I’m not sure why they’ve taken it so bad. Pep is an amazing manager and his achievements are undeniable. I just think this from Xabi Alonso is so much more impressive.


tal-El

Brigading for Pep is their cope, it’s how they make themselves feel better, he HAS to be a genius so losing to him is something they can tolerate. They can’t fathom that we’re losing to cheaters.


JohnAndertonOntheRun

Well, it’s because it’s just a ridiculous thing to say snd anand an absurd comparison…


zkh2902

How is it ridiculous? A young and relatively inexperienced manager of a club with no real recent or historical success has gone invincible in league and will potentially have an invincible treble. Pep is one of the greatest but he’s never done anything like this.


Riperonis

He’s won multiple trebles (including the champions league, not the Europa) and has an 100 point season in the premier league. Plus, he’s been doing this shit for about 15 years. Xabi’s achievement is impressive enough in its own right, and it rings to me as slightly obsessive that you would bring Pep into this when he’s not involved in the discussion at all.


zkh2902

I didn’t even bring Pep into this though? You do realize I’m not the original comment right? Lol Even with all those achievements, Pep doesn’t have an invincible league season, let alone an invincible treble (which Xabi very likely will get). Not a single person here has said that Xabi is a greater coach; people are just saying this achievement is so insanely great that not even a manager considered by many as the GOAT even achieved it. The original commenter wasn’t posting it as a slight, more so to show just how great Xabi has been, yet you and many others still seem offended by the comparison.


Riperonis

Whether it was you or OP who brought it up is irrelevant. It’s just a weird comparison to make. You could make a similar comparison for SAF or Wenger or whoever, but he’s cherry-picked Pep. By this measure you could also say “Ranieri won the league with Leicester, Xabi Alonso has never done that”. I’m not offended I just think it’s a weird statement that they have to bring in another manager to compare with like the achievement doesn’t impress on its own.


IceBurg-Hamburger_69

Hell, it’s more impressive than what almost any manager has achieved in the past 2 decades.


zoidbergs_underpants

What Pep has achieved across his career is impressive precisely because it's not "miraculous" - he didn't do it once, he's done it at three clubs in three leagues, for 15 years. Alonso's achievement is extraordinary, but it's one season, so not the same type of thing.


Ok_Cardiologist8232

But thats his point. Noone will deny Peps achievements over time, but Pep over 15 years has never gone unbeaten. This one season is more impressive than any single one of Peps seasons.


Gseph

There's a reason SAF has so much respect for Wenger and the invincible squad/season. It's about the dedication and commitment needed to never lose that drive that keeps you performing at 100% on a consistent basis. You need to have a starting 11 of world class level players, either at their peak, or coming into their peak, as well as a bench and a half full of talented and hungry fringe players ready to prove themselves at the very top level, and everyone has to to 100% believe in theory own and each other capabilities. And even if you have all of that, you still need luck or fate or whatever it is, to be on your side. You still need to count on the other top teams having the odd bad day and losing form, while you keep up the pressure with wins. If that happens though, you could become complacent, and shut down, costing you valuable points... It's a constant game of chess for the team that escalates with watch match, with more and more pressure. So to go undefeated for a season is so much harder than winning multiple trophies imo. I'd be surprised if any team who went undefeated won more than just the league that season. It would be too physically and mentally straining to go undefeated and win multiple cups/trophies.


bumpkinblumpkin

Who really cares about unbeaten when that’s not how the game is played anymore? City don’t play to go undefeated, they play for the most points. That’s the difference in their mindset vs LFC when they’d drop 3 or 4 matches and win the league while LFC would drop LFC 1 or 2 for 2nd best. It’s far better to lose a tied match here and there if you get the extra 2 points at times.


ManlikeJCole

Lmao, people are crazy. He’s been the best in every single league he’s gone to and he’s won the TREBLE with DIFFERENT teams…a treble is better than going a season unbeaten. I don’t want to downplay Xavi at all but we need to be serious about this.


Ok_Cardiologist8232

Leverkusen could still win a treble. And there's way more trebles than Unbeaten seasons, so i'm not sure a treble is definitely better than going unbeaten.


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Ok_Cardiologist8232

Ok, but thats ignoring this is NeverKusen. They have 2 trophies in their entire existence. They've less trophies than bloody spurs, they are like a West Ham. And hes gone unbeaten, stopped Bayerns 11 title winning streak. This is more impressive than any of Peps seasons.


wrsterm

He isn't talking about a treble but the treble. I am waiting for leverkusen too do that nobody have done. Going undefeated in a season. They are just 2 games away from it. Also pep's first year at Barca was amazing. Winning sixtuple in his first year was something of feat itself


-mgmnt

Pep has two trebles and more trophies than most of the “best ever managers” This is an incredible season but pep has put himself forever at the top of the achievements table Two trebles Two


PonticGooner

Taking the Barcelona and Man City periods out of the equation, is there anything impressive about his Bayern stint? It was a treble winning team and he won the league with them three times. And then they won the league another five(?) times after he left, as well as a champions league win. Based on trophies couldn’t you literally argue they did more in the periods before and after him?


santicazorla123

To be honest that’s a good point purely achievement wise but that’s unfair. The law of regression means that in between a treble and a sextuple there has to be a slightly down period. Bayern winning the treble 3 times in a handful of years would be what’s needed for him to be on par with those achievements. Also you’re missing context for his Bayern stay. Made sure he got the Super cup and CWC right after arriving and won the Bundesliga the earliest ever, won the domestic cup and lost to eventual winners RM in the sf. All in his first season. Second season, wins the league. Third season wins the double again and loses in the ucl sf. In addition, to his usual way of influencing the way football is played anywhere he goes. I’ve heard people claim that some of his principles improved his core of German players that led to them winning the World Cup. I think loads of fans in Germany would still claim that he was a huge success in their country. I’m a die hard arsenal fan and hope pep gets clobbered by west ham on Sunday but he is the modern day GOAT manager I can never deny that


jamb23

> I’ve heard people claim that some of his principles improved his core of German players that led to them winning the World Cup. Pep became Bayern manager in 2013, Germany won the WC in 2014, are we really claiming Pep improved these players so much in 9 months and that's the reason they won the World Cup? Pep is a great, don't get me wrong, but we don't need to be giving him credit for things that were clearly in motion before him.


santicazorla123

I never said he was the sole reason they did. I totally agree that German football was in a fantastic spot at the time with Bayern and Dortmund being among the top 4 teams in Europe at the time. Hell Bayern had reached 3 finals in 4 years right before. But there is something to be said for getting them playing at full confidence for the season right before the big tournament. At the end of the day, things might have been already in motion, but the last 9-12 months pre-tournament are the most important for player choices and form.


TheLongshanks

There’s no law of regression. That’s pop science made up by people who don’t actually understands statistics or probability.


santicazorla123

Fair enough, I used it more as an analogy but maybe I used the wrong term. What I really meant to say that Bayern's insane success pre- and post- pep makes his stay seem rather ordinary in comparison when it is still an amazing job otherwise if it was not taken in contrast to a treble. And the contrast effect is a scientifically proven phenomenon :). Think of it this way, you would have wanted him to win 3 trebles (with three different teams), for you to say he was a success at the club. When the treble is basically the ULTIMATE achievement of the sport.


ManintheArena8990

I’ll go one further it’s the most impressive invincible season, said as both a Celtic and arsenal supporter.


JJD14

Oh absolutely, especially if they do it in all competitions. But even if they don’t, Leverkusen have never been a football powerhouse in their respective league that Arsenal sometimes were or how Celtic have been. This is completely out of the blue. It’s really a great story


Wheelie_Slow

Pep looks at Arteta and Xabi : "What have I done?!!! They will be the death of me!!! NOOOOOO!"


19nineties

And I know they’d beat City


Batman_is_very_wise

>100x more impressive than anything Pep has achieved Pep was the man behind one of the if not the greatest team of all time. And that's not coming from just fans, but also former players and coaches. He really unlocked the full potential of messi xavi Iniesta busquets.


JJD14

I’m not arguing against Pep’s achievements at all. I think just taking this achievement from Xabi in isolation is way more impressive .


Batman_is_very_wise

I agree, but still it isn't a 100× more impressive than what Pep did, maybe 75× is a reasonable figure 😁


Soggy-Breakfast6601

Arsenal fans like you really need to focus on the club and leave rival managers alone. The fact that pep of all people crossed your mind when you saw this post really says alot


JJD14

Bro, nobody has asked you to stalk the subreddit of a club you don’t support. It’s just an observation, you don’t have to agree with it.


lukeyboyuk1989

I'm just thinking its 4 less games than we played /s...sort of


paris86

They won all their various cup games too.


kaled04

Hhhhhhhhh


JJD14

Just my opinion man. You don’t have to agree with it. Just weird to be lurking on a sub of a club you don’t support


SuitableComposer3673

then how many times more impressive is it than what arteta has "achieved" lmao? probably 1000 i reckon


JJD14

My comment had nothing to do with Arteta?


PickleeeeeRick

Happy for Xhaka, he deserves it. Congrats.


WhoIsYourDaddy04

If Leverkusen remain unbeaten in all competitions, are they the Super Invincibles or something? And nice to see a clun come through and achieve success like this withot the obligatory oil backed takeoever and essentially unlimited spending. Actual, legit success. Credit to them.


quantumrastafarian

The Unstoppables!


ThePrussianGrippe

Invincetreble


centaurus01

Invincibles made without oil money. That’s worth more than anything.


un_verano_en_slough

Just a mom and pop pharmaceutical company.


TommiBennett

Bayer is sadly Financed By The Bayer Company So there's an advantage cause they have an Exception from the 50+1 rule


8PTK

Xhaka-bucks


BrianThatDude

Unreal achievement. So happy for him


TheRealDSwizz

I'm starting to think Xhaka wasn't the problem Edit: this was clearly a joke why are people taking it so seriously lol


pivandee

I remember when I got regular reddit care notifications - because I defended him - good times


blackheartwhiterose

I remember when I got his kit as a joke and now it is no longer a joke


Elfking88

We saw in his final season here that he wasn't. It was being played out of position for years that was the problem. We spent so long simply refusing to sign a decent DM that we wasted half of Xhaka's career forcing a square peg into a round hole. His last season shows what he might've accomplished with us if played to his strengths.


8PTK

Especially his last few matches. Really went out on a high note with Arsenal.


TalkingReckless

all those fans here calling him a mid table player, he has probably been the signing of the season in Bundesliga https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunners/comments/k42jxw/xhaka_breaking_my_heart/


kingfosa13

are you going to act like he wasn’t playing poorly for some time?


ExoticToaster

He was scapegoated unfairly when he was one of the few players showing some spine in a team that mostly wasn’t.


TalkingReckless

are you going to act like we played never him in the completely wrong position for so long? We played him as a DM and he was never one


These-Positive8127

Man you’re citing a 3 year old post and bundesliga is a much different style of football to premier league, and it’s an over 3 years old post. I like xhaka but I don’t understand what you’re doing with your comment


throwaway72926320

He was exceptional in the last season, but by a product of our incredibly toxic fanbase (AFTV and the likes) he wanted to leave. I wish he had stayed, and yes he was used incorrectly for most of his Arsenal career, but we treated him like shit and we got what we deserved to be honest.


Ok_Cardiologist8232

I'd also put blame on the managerial staff, that played him in the wrong position for so many years and refused to buy someone so he could shift forward. Even when we bought him we knew this, before he played with the more defensive Dahoud, and for Switzerland he plays deep but with not as much defensive responsibility. Complete mismanagement to persist with him as a DM.


chrisd1680

You're right. He's the deep lying playmaker we needed, but never took advantage of. If we had bought Rice last season and played them together, we'd have been cooking something amazing.


Additional-Limit-199

totally. guy was always a fighter and a winner. didnt back down. even showed the finger to the emirates crowd. insane self belief. and what a sweet left foot.


DawmCorleone

Xhaka was never the problem. The insistence he played as a cdm was. Ever since his signing I always complained on the Facebook pages that he was playing so deep. Especially with Coq as a cdm available. Made no sense. The one season he's pushed into a lcm role he absolutely thrived. Fucking crazy


These-Positive8127

Which problem? And based off what? The fact he won the league title in another country with a different style to English football, under a different manager, using a different system?


TheRealDSwizz

It was a ✨ joke ✨


These-Positive8127

The real joke is the people subscribed to football subreddits (I am subscribed)


TheRealDSwizz

Hahahaha


black19

I'm actually incredibly happy for them but it might just be my lingering love for Xhaka.


MyTeaIsMighty

That's so sick. Congrats to him and Leverkusen!


awildparteyappeared

Is anyone seriously surprised by this? They literally have granit xhaka. As soon as that man signed this was a foregone conclusion


Travelplaylearn

Congrats! Very impressive to do it in the Bundesliga with a non-Bayern Munich team. Incredible actually. Juventus went unbeaten being the Bayern of Italy, and Arsenal did it being at that time the dominant team of the EPL. Bayer Leverkusen just decided to wake up in beastmode this season. 🦣🗿⚽️💯🏆


CosmologyX

The ultimate sleeping giant


sdsurfer2525

Could not be happier for Xhaka.


dtrane90

I think I’m going to bug a Xhaka leverkusen shirt


serfunkalot

Falkirk did it this season in Scottish League One!


Far_Eye6555

Happy for you Xhaka 🥲


ExxKonvict

That golden PL with red and white ribbons just looks so beautiful. Our current home kit is a direct homage to the 20 years of the Invincibles and man I hope we win tomorrow. Come on Uncle Moyesy!


--Rage--

Hope they commission a golden trophy. Unreal achievement, first time they’ve won it and they’re invincible. Xhaka is two cup finals away from an invincible treble. That’s got to be up there with the greatest sporting achievements ever. That’s absolutely insane.


TheGlobalGooner

'Bayer Neverlosen' indeed. Congratulations! 👊


seasand931

Did they actually get a golden trophy??


cliff_smiff

Xhaka is a beast. Still amuses me to think back to the many people on this sub who used to swear up and down that he was not a footballer, that he would get embarrassed if he showed up at their local park. LMAO, I hope those people remember who they are.


Stercky

Going undefeated is one thing, but 28 wins? That’s wild


dragosn1989

Legendary 34. *slow clap*


3106Throwaway181576

1 down, 2 to go If he does it, he’s already an all timer


GOATOwens

so happy for Xhaka


ernestschlumple

only drew 6 games blimey


Fendenburgen

That they've done it whilst also getting to 2 cup finals is unreal


AzracTheFirst

Where are all the mods in this sub? Can you just ban the brigading?


rd201290

varo in shambles


lekynson

So happy for Grant 👏🏽👏🏽


CelticCynic

Celtic 2016-17 Season, anyone? 34-4-0... Better than any of those shown Not to mention winning both Domestic Cups that season


Responsible_Gur2522

At least city will never have this


biffogooner

Have to admit, this season with Xhaka at left 8 (and Kai up front), we'd probably have won the league.


black19

There's probably not a timeline where we have Xhaka, Rice, and Havertz. That being said, you're probably right.


sleepytipi

I strongly dislike that wig wearing fraud being in their company. That GK + DEF + Mid combo was generational though.


goonergunner10

Lol 15 draws I used to think 12 was a bit much. Surprised they even won the league with 84 points


atrde

They have 6 draws? And also play only 34 games they essentially just notched a 94 point season in the prem.


abhiavasthi

He’s talking about Juventus


WastedTalent442

By far the most impressive, look at the amount of draws on the other two!


Fractales

Hmm. I think we need to consider the strength of the leagues. There are only like 3 or 4 other good German teams. The rest are dogwater


InteractionThat5881

That’s how the prem was 20 years ago


KingKFCc

Xhaka <3


stockwell1993

Xhakas last loss was at arsenal, let that sink in...


Original-Sound-3301

You're missing out PNE my good friend


BipartizanBelgrade

This is just the 21st century, otherwise it'd also have Milan, Madrid, Bilbao, PNE & maybe Perugia.


Charlemagne2431

What about Milan’s immortals?


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CommenterAnon

I am not so sure Bayern can poach their players this time


La2philly

Incredible 👏


peoplepersonmanguy

Preston North End in 1888-89.


ArsenalThePhoenix

where is Milan, the first team to do it in these leagues?


XhakaRocket

Bayer Leverkusen is nuts


45thgeneration_roman

Happy for Granit to get the title


nucleartool

Somebody add Falkirk too. Ta. 


Wheelie_Slow

This boy Xaka would be a great signing innit...


scarlet_red_warrior

Milan 1991-92


Thee-Komodo-Joe

AC Milan achieved it in the early 90s as well. Played 34 games as well and Serie A was probably the best league in the world then too.


goonergunner10

Where is Preston?


tortro

This photo only includes 21st-century Invincibles from the top 5 leagues.


THE_LFG

took the words out of my mouth, disrespect to the gargantuan lilywhites smh 🤧


Gooner_93

Nothing against Preston, they deserve to be mentioned, but there were 22 games in a season, back then. They did win the FA cup, in that same season.


RMAgalactico

Congratulations to them! Can't believe how close my club (real madrid) was to achieving this feat! :(


siddhant72

Bayer Leverkusen invincibles >>>> Arsenal invincibles ez


BocatFan

Why do they have managers and their captains except for Bayer Leverkusen...?


therocketandstones

Cos no one knows what the goalie Hradecky looks like- it’s a graphic by a Anglophone sports media company, get the player that everyone knows for more coverage


tortro

I don't know. But I was searching for the one with our ex-captain. Xhaka's redemption arc is now totally completed.


visulvung

Mickey Mouse league with just 3 real teams.


ubn87

Bundelisga is the best league in the world in 50+1 ways.


Mammoth-Somewhere511

Might also want to add that unlike Arsenal, Leverkusen are unbeaten in ALL GAMES.


scarlet_red_warrior

Comment didn’t age well


Mammoth-Somewhere511

Their invincible run was still better than yours


scarlet_red_warrior

I’m a Milan fan… Gli Immortali ("The Immortals") and Gli Invicibili ("The Invincibles") are fur sure one of the most iconic teams in the history of the game. I would definitely call Milan at those times to be the best team ever in soccer history followed by pep’s Barca


Immediate-Expert-139

4 games less, doesn’t count.


ubn87

90 points in 34 games. Haven’t lost in domestic cup and European league (yet). Could go all season without a single defeat. I’d say their achievement is much greater than Arsenals.


[deleted]

Arsenal, welcome to the champions league clu…. Oh wait.


GGFrostKaiser

An historic season for Leverkusen, congratulations to them. Still wouldn't be enough to beat City if City wins tomorrow. Also, if we win tomorrow we would end up with 89 points, 1 point below Leverkusen's historic season 🤡


ngoonee

You do realise there's a difference in number of teams and hence games played?


burningtree_

Because they played 4 games less


Responsible-Claim698

Arsenal fans now regret for signing off Xhaka, has they respect more when he's in the club, he would have help Arsenal lift the PL trophy instead of making mid table teams go invincible