The Bundesliga champions, Bayer Leverkusen, crushed hosts Bochum 5-0 on Sunday to stretch their unbeaten run across all competitions to 50 matches.
Last Thursday Xabi Alonso’s team, aiming for a treble of titles, surpassed Benfica’s longstanding European unbeaten record set from 1963 to 1965 with a 2-2 draw against Roma that sent them through to the Europa League final.
Leverkusen did not ease off against lowly Bochum, scoring twice late in the first half versus the last Bundesliga team to beat them in the previous season. Patrik Schick put the visitors in the driving seat in the 41st minute and Victor Boniface doubled their lead with a penalty, with Bochum down to 10 men following a straight red card for Felix Passlack in the 15th minute. Amine Adli made it 3-0 in the 76th and Josip Stanisic added another in the 86th with a low drive before delivering an assist for Alejandro Grimaldo to score in stoppage time.
Alonso said: “I am very satisfied with the result. It was important for us. Now we have a super goal on Saturday to win the title without any defeat. That has never happened before.” Leverkusen entertain Augsburg at home in the Bundesliga finale where they will also receive their first league trophy.
