Leverkusen proving that Bundesliga is more than just Bayern - ESPN

Upon walking along the Bismarckstraße and into the compact BayArena in Leverkusen on Saturday, to commentate on the DFL-Supercup decider, it occurred to me that this is a place where even if not everyone knows your name, they do remember your face.

It is precisely the same in reverse. I lost count of the number of familiar-looking, smiling stewards and press box workers I came across and reflexively with a big smile, uttered words like «ah, you're back» or «was it only yesterday we were last here?» illustrating the joyful shared experience of an exhilarating 2023-24 season under the Bayer-Kreuz.

Bayer Leverkusen became something of an impossible habit to break last season for those of us immersed in German football. Their sumptuous passing and pressing football with Xabi Alonso's distinctive handwriting, irresistible in its execution. The Werkself, as if they require this, given their other qualities, do late heroics better than any top-level team in modern football: Their 20 goals in the 85th minute or later was the most among all Bundesliga clubs, as was their four game-tying goals in that time frame. The joke is, even after the final whistle has gone, you suspect Alonso's XI will somehow still find a route to the opposition's net.

On Saturday night, there was more of that Laterkusen drama. Trailing 2-1 against a very good and resourceful VfB Stuttgart, Bayer 04 found the right last-ditch formula again, and this time had the temerity to do it having played for most of the match while down to 10 men. Martin Terrier's open-sole, excessive-force challenge on Ermedin Demirovic sealed the Frenchman's fate and made a comeback from 2-1 down unlikely.

Patrik Schick's 88th-minute leveller set the stage, though, for Leverkusen