Football

Bayer Leverkusen capped off a remarkable season by securing the German Cup, defeating second-division Kaiserslautern 1-0 in a hard-fought final in Berlin. The victory marks the club's second trophy of the campaign, having already clinched the Bundesliga title in April.Granit Xhaka's stunning long-range strike in the 16th minute proved to be the decisive moment. However, Leverkusen's triumph was overshadowed by the dismissal of Odilon Kossounou late in the first half, leaving them to battle with 10 men for the remainder of the match.Despite their numerical disadvantage, Leverkusen displayed resilience and determination, holding on to their slender lead. Kaiserslautern, who were aiming to become the first non-top-flight club to lift the Cup since 1992, pushed hard for an equalizer but lacked the cutting edge to break down Leverkusen's resolute defense.Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso praised his team's spirit and fighting qualities. "To win like that at the end, we showed our team spirit. We fought hard, we did it for everyone, the fans, the club," he said.Alonso also received plaudits from his opposing coach, Friedhelm Funkel, who was managing his final game before retiring. "To go through the Bundesliga season unbeaten, it's madness. That he could flick that switch in his first year, is incredible. I think he'll win many, many titles."Leverkusen's triumph is a testament to their impressive season, which saw them go unbeaten in the Bundesliga and reach the final of the Europa League. The German Cup victory doubles the club's trophy tally in their history, having previously won the competition in 1993 and the UEFA Cup in 1988.

Bayer Leverkusen, fresh off their first loss in nearly a year, face second-division Kaiserslautern in Saturday's German Cup final. The Bundesliga champions were thoroughly outclassed in a 3-0 loss to Atalanta in the Europa League final on Wednesday, their first defeat in any competition since May 2023.Leverkusen's unbeaten run, which broke a 59-year-old record set by Benfica in 1965, was bound to end sometime. However, it was the manner in which they capitulated that will concern manager Xabi Alonso the most. The Germans were outmuscled by a determined Atalanta, with key players Florian Wirtz and Granit Xhaka having off nights.Winger Jonas Hofmann summed up the club's struggles, lamenting "many mistakes, individual mistakes, bad passes and simple technical errors." He said the performance was "not Bayer-like."Despite the disappointment, beating Kaiserslautern would make Leverkusen just the sixth side in German football history to do the double. Alonso urged his side to "transform our pain into positive energy."Kaiserslautern, despite their run to the final, only played one top-division side in the Cup, beating relegated Cologne. However, striker Ragnar Ache believes Leverkusen's vulnerability after Wednesday's loss could play into their hands."They have a very big squad with high quality players, and they're used to it," Ache said. "But it's still not going to be easy for us. We have to look at ourselves and what we are going to do."Leverkusen will be hoping to make amends for their Europa League disappointment, while Kaiserslautern will be looking to pull off a major upset. The final promises to be a fascinating clash between a wounded giant and a determined underdog.