The curse: Why Bayer remains Vizekusen
Let’s get straight to the current number one. Bayer Leverkusen has a highly talented team that played by far the most beautiful and successful football of the first half of the season. Coach Xabi Alonso exudes class and cosmopolitanism (almost like the emperor!) and of course they are contenders for the title. And yes, all of us who are not Bayern supporters would find it like a relief after a long torment if, for once, Bayern did not become champions, but rather “Vizekusen”. But that is exactly the problem: “Vizekusen”. The term is even available as a Wikipedia entry and gender supporters would talk about “language creates reality” in this context. Unfortunately, that is true in this context. The name hangs like a curse over the team from the suburbs of Cologne; it says it all, it’s genetically based, so to speak. Bayer will not be able to maintain the run it has had because hardly any team can do that over an entire season. In addition, half of the defense is at the Africa Cup with Edmond Tapsoa and Odilon Kossounou. And the strong center forward Victor Boniface was injured. These factors could lead to problems.