Granit Xhaka scored his first goal for Bayer Leverkusen as the Bundesliga leader defeated Mainz 2-1 on Friday and set a German record of 33 games unbeaten across all competitions.

Leverkusen remain eight points clear of defending champions Bayern in their unrelenting pursuit of a maiden Bundesliga title, having only dropped points in four of their 23 league fixtures so far this term. What’s more, they are the only team across Europe’s top five leagues per UEFA coefficient still not to taste defeat in 2023/24, while their points and goals tallies (61 and 59, respectively) are club records at this stage in a league season.

Leverkusen will look to extend their record against relegation-threatened Cologne in next Sunday’s Rhine derby. They are also through to the DFB Cup semi-finals and UEFA Europa League last 16, with the possibility of a continental treble very much alive.

The club’s only major honours to date are the 1987/88 UEFA Cup and 1992/93 DFB Cup. They are five-time Bundesliga, three-time DFB Cup and one-time UEFA Champions League runners-up, giving rise to the unwanted ‘Neverkusen’ and ‘Eternal Bridesmaids’ nicknames that Alonso’s class of 2023/24 are firmly on course to shake off once and for all.

Amidst the unbeaten season, rumours have begun swirling about the future of the manager Xabi Alonso  with links to Liverpool to replace Jurgen Klopp, along with the upcoming vacancy in Munich. Alonso had shut down the rumours, saying any discussion of a return to the clubs he represented during his playing career was "only hypothetical".