Bayer — Team of the Year According to Lothar Matthäus

Lothar Matthäus claims that "Bayer" stood out among European teams due to visionary leadership and teamwork.

According to the legendary former captain from Germany, Lothar Matthäus, the best team in Europe last year is located in Germany. Surprisingly, it is not "Bayern", where he spent many years, but "Bayer".

"Bayer"—team of the year in Germany, and possibly in Europe. It claimed two titles and reached the Europa League final. This was not mere coincidence, but the result of hard and diligent work. The club's leaders are visionary, making correct decisions and working well as a team. Disputes are rare. Avoiding chaos is a crucial success factor today. There was no such disorder in "Leverkusen", which is why the team was confidently moving forward this year," Matthäus elaborates on the components of success in an interview.

Who is most responsible for the team's progress? Matthäus states:

"Of course, Florian Wirtz and Xabi Alonso attract a bit more attention. However, players like Granit Xhaka and Jonathan Tah also played a significant role. Everything the coach did worked. But such a lineup was also provided to him by Simon Rolfes. Planning was done in advance, everything was done swiftly, and the entire squad was prepared for what they might have already set as an internal target — to be on top."