Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester City celebrated their remarkable season achievements with open-top bus parades amidst jubilant fans. Leverkusen secured the DFB-Pokal trophy and Bundesliga title, while Manchester City won the Premier League for the fourth consecutive time.
Bayer Leverkusen Celebrates Historic Double Victory
Bayer Leverkusen celebrated an extraordinary season in which they remained undefeated in domestic competitions. The team, managed by Xabi Alonso, secured the DFB-Pokal trophy by defeating second-division Kaiserslautern 1-0 in Berlin on Saturday night, adding to their earlier Bundesliga title win.
On their return, the Leverkusen players were welcomed by thousands of jubilant fans as they paraded through the streets on an open-top bus, culminating in a celebration at the BayArena. Despite the rain, the mood remained festive as Alonso led his team onto the stage to showcase their two trophies.
Leverkusen’s remarkable season saw them go unbeaten in all 34 Bundesliga matches, amassing 90 points and finishing 17 points ahead of second-placed Stuttgart. They also won the German Cup for the first time since 1993, with Granit Xhaka scoring the decisive goal in the final.
Although their dream of a completely unbeaten season ended with a 3-0 loss to Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League final, spirits were high. Alonso described the season as a “dream” and expressed pride in his team’s resilience, especially during challenging moments like Odilon Kossounou’s red card in the final.
The celebrations continued at Leverkusen’s City Hall, where the team signed a golden book in the presence of Mayor Uwe Richrath. Fans and players alike enjoyed the festivities, which included waving smoke flares and downing large glasses of beer on the bus parade through the city.
Spanish coach Xabi Alonso, who has reportedly turned down offers from Liverpool and Bayern Munich, indicated that he would remain at Leverkusen for the next season to lead them in the Champions League.
Manchester City’s Premier League Celebration
Manchester City celebrated their historic feat of winning the Premier League for the fourth consecutive time with an open-top bus parade in Manchester on Sunday night. Despite losing the FA Cup final 2-1 to Manchester United, the team and fans gathered to honor their league triumph.
The parade, starting at Cathedral Gardens, saw thousands of fans line the streets despite poor weather. Celebrations included light blue flares, fireworks, and even manager Pep Guardiola enjoying a celebratory cigar.
England playmaker Jack Grealish, a standout in the celebrations, nearly fell off the bus twice but was saved by teammates Ruben Dias and Jeremy Doku. Despite the minor mishaps, Grealish continued to entertain fans along the parade route.
The event marked an occasion to reflect on City’s dominance in English football, as they clinched their sixth title in seven years with a decisive 3-1 victory against West Ham. Attention now turns to how the team will perform in upcoming competitions, including Grealish’s role at Euro 2024 with the England national team.
