Bayer Leverkusen are the talk of football this season thanks to their record-breaking unbeaten run, which now stretches to 48 games.
Xabi Alonso’s side have already been crowned Bundesliga champions and have reached the finals of both the Europa League and the German Cup. They are now just four points from an unbeaten season across all three competitions they compete in.
And they have managed this thanks to an extraordinary knack for scoring late goals, having bagged 16 in the 90th minute and beyond this season alone. That doesn’t even include Jeremie Frimpong’s 89th-minute equaliser against West Ham last month.
More often than not, these late goals have been game-saving or game-winning. Leverkusen have picked up nine Bundesliga points after regulation time has ended, as well as repeatedly saving their European campaign from ruin at the death.
Watch all 12 goals which have helped the German champions alter the result of a game this season below.
Exequiel Palacios (90+4)
Bayern Munich 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen, Bundesliga, 15 Sep 2023
This was an early statement of intent that Leverkusen were genuine title opposition for Bayern Munich, even if it came through a penalty.
Argentine midfielder Exequiel Palacios stepped up four minutes into added-time after Alejandro Grimaldo’s spectacular free-kick earlier in the game.
Victor Boniface (90+4)
Qarabag 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen, Europa League group stage, 9 Nov 2023
All things considered, this is probably the least significant of the late goals, but it showed that Alonso and his men could even do it on a cold Thursday night in Azerbaijan.
Exequiel Palacios (90+4)
Augsburg 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen, Bundesliga, 13 Jan 2024
Palacios’s second 94th-minute goal of the season came at a crucial point in the season.
Bayern had still only lost one game all season and were keeping pace with Leverkusen point-for-point, so this ensured they maintained pressure and could have contributed to the reigning champions’ collapse in Bremen the following week.
Piero Hincapie (90+1)
RB Leipzig 2-3 Bayer Leverkusen, Bundesliga, 20 Jan 2024
Diving in at a set-piece, this goal came just a week after Palacios’s winner at Augsburg, a second clutch win on the road for Alonso’s men.
This helped set the tone for their incredible run of late goals in 2024.
Jonathan Tah (90)
Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 Stuttgart, DFB Pokal, 6 Feb 2024
A DFB Pokal quarter-final may not seem crucial, but this was effectively the final played in the last eight.
Borussia Dortmund and Bayern had both already been knocked out, leaving Leverkusen and Stuttgart as the two favourites.
And thanks to Jonathan Tah’s header at the death, “Neverkusen” went one step closer to becoming Foreverkusen.
They then went on to beat second-tier side Fortuna Dusseldorf in the semi-finals and face another 2. Bundesliga team in Kaiserslautern in the final.
NEVER GIVE UP!
— The DFB-Pokal (@DFBPokal_EN) February 6, 2024
Jonathan Tah put @bayer04_en ahead for the first time in the game in the 90th minute, having come from behind twice!#DFBPokal #BERLIN2024 #B04VfB pic.twitter.com/QRPU9XSaBD
Patrik Schick (90+2)
Qarabag 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen, Europa League last 16 first leg, 7 Mar 2024
This was the first of a remarkable run of late goals for Czech international Schick, starting with Leverkusen’s second trip to Baku of the season.
A flying header in added time ensured the tie would be level ahead of the return leg in Germany.
— Humberto Alfie (@humalfie) May 3, 2024
07/03/24
en Qarabag (Europa League)
En los octavos de final, el equipo de Azerbaiyán se le complicó a los alemanes, quienes vinieron de atrás en la eliminatoria.
0-2 empezaron perdiendo en la ida y con goles de Wirtz al 70’, así como Schick al 91’ mantenían vivo el invicto. pic.twitter.com/8fQ0wAgsV2
Patrik Schick (90+3, 90+7)
Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 Qarabag, Europa League last 16 second leg, 14 Mar 2024
This remains the peak of Leverkusen’s buzzer-beating powers, scoring twice in added time to break Azerbaijani hearts and reinforce the notion this team simply cannot be beaten.
Schick scored both, just a week after his previous heroics, with the second goal only possible because of the time taken up by the first. This was Alonso time at its very best.
Patrik Schick (90+1)
Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Hoffenheim, Bundesliga, 30 Mar 2024
Leverkusen then managed to go two weeks without needing Schick to bail them out, but he was called into action once more to topple Hoffenheim.
This was another incredible turnaround victory, with Robert Andrich equalising in the 88th-minute, before Schick volleyed home three minutes later.
Josip Stanisic (90+7)
Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen, Bundesliga, 21 Apr 2024
Away at Borussia Dortmund and with one minute of added time left to play, step forward Bayern loanee Josip Stanisic.
The young full-back latched onto a corner and headed home – but this desire and dedication was all the more impressive considering Leverkusen had already been crowned champions.
— Eleven Belgium (NL) (@ElevenBeNL) April 21, 2024
| Leverkusen blijft ONGESLAGEN!
#BVBB04 pic.twitter.com/BY5H3wqkVh
Robert Andrich (90+6)
Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 Stuttgart, Bundesliga, 27 Apr 2024
97th minute, hosting third-placed Stuttgart, up steps defensive midfielder Andrich.
Leverkusen don’t need the points, the visitors do, it doesn’t matter. The mentality monsters find a way.
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04fussball) April 30, 2024
Guten Morgen, #WerkselfFans: Wir starten mit den beiden Toren gegen Stuttgart in den Tag!
#B04VfB 2:2 | #Bundesliga | #Bayer04 | #Werkself pic.twitter.com/apF54JILia
Josip Stanisic (90+7)
Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 Roma, Europa League semi-final second leg, 9 May 2024
This shows the dedication Leverkusen have to their unbeaten run.
At 4-3 up on aggregate, having already come back from 2-0 down to lead the tie on 81 minutes, Stanisic sprints down the right-hand side with seconds left on the clock.
This will likely be Leverkusen’s toughest remaining challenge to their perfect record, and the fact they have overcome it in such dramatic circumstances shows they are almost destined to go all the way.
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