The Albany Gazette - Leverkusen to share spotlight with Stuttgart in historic Supercup

The 31-year record illustrates just how stunning last season was in German football.

Germany's equivalent of the English FA's Community Shield, puts the Bundesliga champions up against the German Cup winners or the second-placed league side.

Leverkusen, for decades the butt of 'Neverkusen' jokes as German football's perennial runners-up, won their very first Bundesliga title in spectacular fashion.

Xabi Alonso's side became the first team in German history to win the league unbeaten, a record which has eluded even 33-time champions Bayern.

Leverkusen also won the German Cup and made it to the Europa League final -- their 3-0 loss to Atalanta in the final was their only defeat in the 53 games they played last season.

- 'We want this trophy' -

Granit Xhaka, a key component of the midfield engine that helped drive Leverkusen to success last season, told AFP in an interview the champions were far from satisfied after their record-breaking season.

"We're at home against a very good team, for sure, but with our fans, our supporters, I believe we can win the trophy for our season, to take the first step," said the 31-year-old.

"The trophy gives you a lot of confidence for the first game in the Bundesliga. The hunger is here and we want this trophy."

The experienced Xhaka was the guiding influence on an array of young stars, including winger Nathan Tella, who also arrived last summer.

Tella, who scored six goals and laid on five assists in all competitions last season, told AFP at Leverkusen's pre-season camp that the team wanted to improve in 2024-25.

"The standards we set last year were so high... they were almost unbelievable.

"We want to get close to it again, if not beat those standards."

Saturday's clash will be the first test to see if Leverkusen can continue last season's stunning run.

"We're all focusing on that game. We're all ready for that," added Tella.

- 40-point improvement -

Leverkusen's record-breaking season came in Alonso's first full season coaching the side, with the club finishing with 90 points -- a 40-point improvement on the previous season.

While they may not have claimed a trophy, Stuttgart matched Leverkusen's efforts, finishing in second place -- ahead of behemoths Bayern -- also with a points tally 40 points higher than the year before.

Sleeping giants of German football, Stuttgart's achievements were particularly impressive considering their recent struggles.

In the season prior, Stuttgart were dead last before coach Sebastian Hoeness came in and steadied the ship, keeping them in the league thanks to a two-legged relegation play-off win against second-division Hamburg.

New striker Ermedin Demirovic, who replaced the Dortmund-bound Serhou Guirassy, said on Thursday the match was "much, much more than just a pre-season game".

Speaking with the Bundesliga website, the forward said Stuttgart saw the match as a chance for "the first title in a long time", adding "we'll give everything to win the game".

Key stats

0 - Bayer Leverkusen have never won the Supercup, losing on penalties to Werder Bremen in their only appearance in 1993.

1 - Stuttgart have played one Supercup, beating Hannover 3-1 in 1992.

10 - Bayern Munich have won 10 Supercups while Dortmund's six wins is the second-best total.

(D.Lewis--TAG)