On the morning of January 11, the first match of the 16th round of the Bundesliga saw Dortmund host Bayer Leverkusen. In this highly anticipated matchup, Bayer Leverkusen emerged victorious with a 3-2 win away from home, securing all three points. Leverkusen's Hickey scored twice, while Tera found the net as well. Despite goals from Gittens and Girassi, they were unable to save their team. As Leverkusen grows stronger, Arsenal fans feel increasingly regretful. Arsenal has suffered a significant loss by misplacing their trust in Tazi Brother: they undervalued and sold their midfield engine, who is now leading his new club to ten consecutive victories.
After defeating Dortmund away, Bayer Leverkusen has been on a winning streak recently, winning every game they've played. Starting from late November last year, Leverkusen defeated Heidenheim 5-2, Red Bull Salzburg 5-0, Union Berlin 2-1, Bayern Munich 1-0, St. Pauli 2-1, Inter Milan 1-0, Augsburg 2-0, Freiburg 5-1, and Rot-Weiss Oberhausen 2-0. They have now also triumphed over Dortmund.
Bayer Leverkusen currently sits second in the Bundesliga standings, only one point behind Bayern Munich after playing one more game, posing a significant threat to Bayern once again. In the DFB-Pokal (German Cup), Leverkusen has already eliminated Bayern. In the UEFA Champions League, Leverkusen ranks fourth and is the only Bundesliga team currently in the top eight qualifying zone. Last season, Leverkusen won the Bundesliga and the German Cup, finishing as runners-up in the Europa League, with only one defeat in 53 matches. This season, they have already secured the German Super Cup, proving that they are not just a flash in the pan but have become a top-tier team.
The arrival of former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka has propelled Bayer Leverkusen to success. He is an absolute mainstay in Alonso's midfield and the core of the team's midfield organization. During Leverkusen's recent ten-game winning streak, Xhaka only came off the bench in a friendly against Rot-Weiss Oberhausen, starting in the other nine games and never being substituted off, showing how much trust and reliance Alonso has in him. Leverkusen acquired Xhaka for 15 million euros, which was a great deal. Arsenal did not renew Xhaka's contract, which was self-inflicted trouble. The season before Xhaka left Arsenal was his best with the club, scoring seven goals and providing seven assists in the Premier League, forming a great partnership with Martinelli on the left flank.
Arsenal's left midfield has lost Xhaka, and despite spending 75 million euros on Havertz, 116.6 million euros on Rice, 35 million euros on Fabio Vieira, and 32 million euros on Merino, none of them have had the same impact as Xhaka. Xhaka is an all-around player, rarely injured, and a leader on the team. He is now thriving at Bayer Leverkusen, causing immense regret among Arsenal fans. If Tazi Brother had kept Xhaka and brought in a strong center forward, Arsenal might have already won the Premier League title.