LEVERKUSEN, Germany — The Bundesliga season had only half an hour left and Bayer Leverkusen got nervous.
Middle-of-the-table visitor Augsburg cut Leverkusen's lead in half. Leverkusen's undefeated streak in the Bundesliga was on the line on Saturday. It made late winning goals a trademark this season but appeared vulnerable to a comeback.
But the appearance — and nerves — were fleeting as Leverkusen held on to win 2-1 and complete an historic season.
Xabi Alonso's team became the first ever to finish an entire Bundesliga undefeated: 28 wins, six draws, and no losses.
A choral ''Hallelujah'' played over BayArena's PA system at the final whistle and a plane trailed a ''German Champion'' banner over the stadium as fans sang the players' praises. The sellout crowd of 30,000 was on its feet as Leverkusen's players received the club's first ever league winners medals.
Alonso, who took over in October 2022 with Leverkusen in the relegation zone, punched the air to a roar from the crowd as he received his medal. He has already pledged to stay next season after interest from Bayern Munich.
''It's an exceptional season that we've made, not just in Germany but I think in Europe,'' Alonso said. ''We remember the (2003-04 Arsenal) Invincibles in the Premier League and Juventus in (Italian Serie A in 2011-12), so we deserve this part of history in European soccer.''
Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky climbed into the stands and handed the trophy to fans to lift. He led a club chant into a microphone as Alonso climbed up to join him.