Jonas Hofmann's header sent holders Bayer Leverkusen through in the DFB-Pokal.

Leverkusen kick-started their Bundesliga campaign with a last-gasp win over Borussia Monchengladbach on Friday, and though matters were more comfortable against lower-league Jena on Wednesday, Xabi Alonso's team had to settle for a 1-0 win.

Hofmann got the decisive goal in the 52nd minute, heading home from Alex Grimaldo's delivery.

Leverkusen finished with 16 shots and an expected goals (xG) of 1.31, though Jena did muster 1.04 xG from just six attempts, with Hamza Muqaj squandering their best chance of the game.

Data Debrief: Heads up

Hofmann has had a fantastic career, plying his trade for Leverkusen, Gladbach and Borussia Dortmund.

Yet incredibly, his goal on Wednesday was the first ever to come from his head. It was his only attempt of the night, with the attacking midfielder managing just three touches in Jena's area.

Pascal Gross believes he has room for improvement despite starting his Borussia Dortmund career with two assists in Saturday's routine DFB-Pokal win over Phonix Lubeck.

Gross teed up first-half goals for fellow new signing Waldemar Anton and Julian Brandt as Dortmund advanced to the competition's second round with a 4-1 win over their fourth-tier hosts.

He is the first player on record (since the 2008-09 season) to record two assists on his first Pokal appearance for BVB.

He also created the joint-most chances of any player on the pitch (three, alongside Brandt), while his 154 accurate passes were only bettered by Niklas Sule (191).

As Nuri Sahin's side prepare for their Bundesliga opener against Eintracht Frankfurt next week, the former Brighton and Hove Albion man believes there is more to come.

"There was no alternative but to win the match. We played a good game in the first period and showed some good ideas, but we can and must improve," he told Sky Sports Germany.

"I also have room for improvement. It was my first match, it was decent. I want to get to know my team-mates better every day. 

"My job is to carry our play from back to front, to give it a certain stability and to set our attacking weapons in motion."

Sahin's first competitive game in charge saw BVB dominate possession with an 85.2% share, with Sule (196) attempting the most passes of any player in a Pokal match on record. 

Sahin himself was the previous record holder, having attempted 184 passes for Dortmund versus 1860 Munich in 2013.

"It's important to play in a dominant way in the first round and not let anything go to waste," the former midfielder said. 

Asked about the defensive lapse that led to Phonix pulling a goal back early in the second half, he added: "We played over 1,000 passes, so concentration can sometimes drop in a game like this."

Vincent Kompany was impressed with Bayern Munich's energy while Thomas Muller revelled in a "fun" victory over Ulm in the DFB-Pokal.

Kompany's first competitive match in charge of Bayern ended in a resounding 4-0 win on Friday.

Muller's first-half brace got the ball rolling for Bayern, with Kingsley Coman and Harry Kane coming off the bench to add some gloss to the scoreline as Ulm rarely showed a threat going the other way.

Bayern had 16 shots and accumulated 3.28 expected goals (xG) in a dominant performance that impressed their new coach.

"I'm happy. We started well and were 2-0 up early on," said Kompany, as reported by Bayern's website.

"I'm also very happy that we kept a clean sheet. Games like this aren't always easy.

"It wasn't always perfect, but we played with discipline, and 4-0 is good, now we're moving on. The important thing is that we show the right energy. That's the basis, it has to be there."

Muller's goals came inside the first 14 minutes. In his 708th competitive Bayern game, it is the earliest he has ever scored a double.

He said: "We wanted to implement a lot of what we have worked on in the last few weeks. It's fun, I feel good, I'm in good shape physically, I did my job, had a few good moves, I'm happy about that.

"If you look at how we work against the ball and the way we tackle, you can see a difference to what didn't do us so much good last year. I thought it was a good performance, even if there is still room for improvement with the ball."

Thomas Muller's first-half brace ensured Vincent Kompany got off to a winning start at Bayern Munich as they beat Ulm 4-0 in the DFB-Pokal first round.

Kingsley Coman and Harry Kane came off the bench to add some gloss to the scoreline as Ulm rarely showed a threat against a dominant Bayern side.

The hosts did almost cause an early shock though, as Maurice Krattenmacher was left unmarked at the far post, but he could not adjust quickly enough and turned his first-time shot wide.

Joshua Kimmich then unlocked Ulm's defence with a throughball into Stanisic, who did brilliantly while off-balance to set up Muller for his first of the game.

And just two minutes later, the forward had his second – Christian Ortag was drawn to Serge Gnabry's run, leaving Muller to tap it into the empty net.

The hosts showed some fight in the second half, with Dennis Chessa forcing Manuel Neuer into a low save before Bayern finally got their third in the 79th minute, as Michael Olise's trickery set Coman up for a close-range finish. 

Kane had a goal ruled out for a foul on the goalkeeper, but he was not to be denied as he headed in a fourth with the final touch of the game. 

Data Debrief: Muller at the double

Muller is off the mark for the season, and he wasted no time in doing it. He scored his earliest brace for Bayern (14 minutes) in his 708th competitive match for the club.

It was a clinical performance from the 34-year-old, who scored with both of his shots on target as he registered an expected goals of 1.42, and only Jamal Musiala (eight) had more touches in the opposition box than him (seven).

Bayer Leverkusen's Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double was the result of players keeping faith in the team throughout what turned into a dream season, so says Xabi Alonso.

Leverkusen added the Pokal to their Bundesliga crown with a 1-0 victory over second-tier Kaiserslautern.

Granit Xhaka scored the only goal of the game as he arrowed in from distance in the 16th minute.

"In the end, to win like that meant we showed spirit, we fought for the fans for the club," said Alonso.

"It is a huge success to win the double. We will remember this in the future."

Leverkusen lost only one of 53 matches across all competitions this season, with that sole defeat coming in Wednesday's Europa League final against Atalanta, denying them a treble.

"The most important thing was the belief of the team. They were ready to battle with 10 players and I am proud of that," Alonso said.

"I need time to accept what happened this season. It was a dream season and to celebrate the last day like this here is special."

Leverkusen will be looking to build on their success next season, with Alonso having snubbed the advances of Liverpool and Bayern Munich in order to stay at the club.

Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen battled past second-tier Kaiserslautern 1-0 on Saturday to win the DFB-Pokal and secure the club's first domestic double.

Leverkusen missed out on a treble after losing 3-0 to Atalanta in the Europa League final on Wednesday, in what was astonishingly their first defeat of the season in all competitions, after a European record 51-game unbeaten run.

But at Berlin's Olympic stadium, which will host the Euro 2024 final in July, Xabi Alonso's side ensured they capped off a remarkable campaign with another piece of silverware thanks to Granit Xhaka's stunning 16th-minute strike.

The ball rolled out to the former Arsenal man around 25 yards out, and he planted an unstoppable first-time effort into the left-hand side of the net.

They controlled the pace even after they were reduced to 10 men following Odilon Kossounou's second booking a minute before half-time.

Kaiserslautern rarely threatened after the break, with Leverkusen limiting their opponents to just 0.2 expected goals.

And even though they could not add to their lead, Leverkusen were able to comfortably wrap up their second trophy of the best season in the club's history.

Data Debrief: Leverkusen join the club

Leverkusen are only the fifth different side to win the double in Germany since the Bundesliga was founded, after Bayern Munich (13 times), 1. Koln, Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund.

Xhaka's strike was a worthy winner. He became the first Swiss player to score in a DFB-Pokal final.

Bayer Leverkusen have quickly put Wednesday's Europa League final defeat to Atalanta behind them, says coach Xabi Alonso.

The freshly-crowned Bundesliga champions can clinch a first-ever domestic double with victory over second-division Kaiserslautern in Saturday's final.

Leverkusen had the opportunity to complete an unbeaten treble but saw their 51-match unbeaten run in all competitions ended in the Europa League final on Wednesday when they lost 3-0 to Atalanta.

Now, they have the opportunity to cap an already memorable season by winning the DFB-Pokal.

"It was a long way to get here, since August last year," said Alonso of Saturday's showcase at Berlin's Olympic stadium.

"We are here. It is great to have the last game of the season as a final. After Wednesday, we are ready and focused for tomorrow. We have to have the hunger and I think after Wednesday we have it more."

Prior to this season's Bundesliga title, Leverkusen's last trophy was the 1993 DFB-Pokal.

Alonso said the team had little time to review their first defeat of the season, but they had already put the loss behind them, having a shot at the double.

"The time for analysis is short because our focus is now on tomorrow. What happened on Wednesday hopefully will not have much influence," Alonso added.

"We have to continue after the defeat. The goal is big. Tomorrow we can cap it with the Cup. Dublin is gone and behind us, and now we think about Berlin."

Treble-chasing Bayer Leverkusen are offering supporters free tattoos to commemorate their Bundesliga-winning season and record-breaking unbeaten run.

Xabi Alonso's team, undefeated across all competitions this season, reached the Europa League final with a 2-2 comeback draw against Roma on Thursday, sealing a 4-2 aggregate win.

That result also stretched their unbeaten run this season to 49 matches across all competitions, surpassing Benfica's long-standing European record of 48, set between 1963 and 1965.

"A special action at the end of a special season. Bayer 04 are offering fans, until the end of the season, the opportunity to choose one of many Bayer 04 tattoos for free," the club said in a statement.

"Book your appointment now to eternalise this unique season on your skin."

Having sealed their first ever Bundesliga title, Leverkusen are also through to the DFB-Pokal final.

They will face second-tier Kaiserslautern in that showpiece game on May 25, three days after they take on Atalanta in the Europa League final.

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said his team deserve to win all three trophies available to them this season after they qualified for the Europa League final by seeing off Roma on Thursday.

Leverkusen, who have already wrapped up the Bundesliga title and will contest the DFB-Pokal final on May 25, stretched their unbeaten run through all competitions this season to 49 matches, surpassing Benfica's long-standing European top-tier record set between 1963 and 1965.

Once again, they did it the hard way after two Leandro Paredes penalties wiped out their first-leg advantage, with a Gianluca Mancini own goal and a stoppage-time strike from Josip Stanisic completing a dramatic comeback.

Following their 4-2 aggregate victory, Roma will face Atalanta in the May 22 final in Dublin, after La Dea overcame Marseille 4-1 on aggregate in the other semi-final.

"We'll play two finals in a week as a result," Alonso said. "We showed great character today after their second goal. 

"I looked my players in the eye afterwards and saw that they wanted more.

"We still have the chance to win three titles, and my boys deserve all three titles."

Despite going 3-2 up on aggregate when Mancini put through his own net, Leverkusen refused to sit back as they looked to preserve their unbeaten record, which they did through Stanisic's 97th-minute strike.

Asked whether that goal was one of the biggest moments of his career, the Bayern Munich loanee said: "Definitely one of them. 

"We knew what was at stake, we really wanted to get to the final and I think you could see that over 90 minutes today.

"I don't think we would have cared in the end if we lost and still progressed because we really wanted to get to the final, but it's even nicer this way."

For Roma, the chance to reach a second straight Europa League final after last season's defeat by Sevilla on penalties slipped away in the dying minutes of the match.

"When you manage to get it back from 2-0 down and go close to the miracle, knowing nobody has ever beaten them this season, it hurts to see us concede a goal like that. It hurts," Roma boss Daniele De Rossi told Sky Sports Italia.

Xabi Alonso believes his Bayer Leverkusen side can still improve after they extended their unbeaten run to 48 matches across all competitions on Sunday, equalling Benfica's European record.

Champions Leverkusen thrashed Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 in the Bundesliga to match Benfica's 48-game unbeaten run between 1963 and 1965 – a record across all competitions in Europe.

Alonso, however, still feels there is more to come.

"Our level, our consistency throughout the season is great. But we are always moving forward. We are always concentrating on the work and improving," he said.

Leverkusen, who are edging closer to an unbeaten season across all competitions, have two league matches remaining and are also set to face Kaiserslautern in the DFB-Pokal final on May 25.

They also hold a 2-0 lead over Roma at the halfway stage of their Europa League semi-final tie, with Thursday's second leg offering them the chance to surpass Benfica's record on home soil.

"It's a big challenge, we have two [Bundesliga] games left, it will be the perfect run. We will certainly try," Alonso said.

"We still have games to play to achieve our big goals in all competitions. The next game is important for us, the second leg of the Europa League semi-final: a chance to reach the final.

"In football it's sometimes difficult to stop. You have to prepare for the next game. The next game is a big game for us. Hopefully we have the chance to be in a European final again."

Leverkusen will play Bochum and Augsburg in their final two Bundesliga games. 

Should they progress to the Europa League final, they will then face either Atalanta or Marseille in Dublin on May 22, three days before the DFB-Pokal showpiece game.

Xabi Alonso is capable of guiding 'exceptional' Bayer Leverkusen through the remainder of the season unbeaten en route to winning a historic treble.

That is according to former Leverkusen defender Carsten Ramelow, who told Stats Perform that Alonso is undoubtedly the key to their success.

Bayer were crowned champions of Germany at the weekend for the first time in their 120-year history with five Bundesliga games still to play.

Not only have Alonso's side dodged defeat in the league, they have also not lost any of their 14 DFB-Pokal or Europa League matches.

With a 2-0 lead heading into their Europa quarter-final second leg against West Ham, and with Kaiserslautern awaiting them in the domestic cup final, the treble is very much on.

"The season they have played is phenomenal," Ramelow said. "Their streak is sensational and it looks like they will do this until the end. 

"Every team has a bit of a lapse, but Leverkusen have been exceptional in every competition. They can still win everything. Things are looking really good."

Former Real Sociedad B coach Alonso took over Leverkusen in October 2022 with the club second from bottom in the Bundesliga.

The Spaniard guided them to sixth last season and has taken them to the title in his first full campaign at BayArena, ending Bayern's run of 11 successive crowns.

Ramelow, who spent 13 years as a Leverkusen player, has hailed the part Alonso has played in the greatest season in the club's history.

"I heard a lot of people talk about him how much of a worker he is, and that he is also very companionable," Ramelow said. "The whole package is in perfect harmony.

"I think that the coach has big merit in this. When he arrived in Leverkusen, he was facing a few problems, which is normal. 

"I think you have to give managers some time in this day and age. That's also what they did with him. He explained his philosophy and idea very well to the team. 

"The boys execute that really well. And I also think he’s a great guy who acts as an example for his players – both on and off the pitch."

Florian Wirtz should follow Xabi Alonso's lead and reject interest from Europe's top clubs to stay at Bayer Leverkusen beyond this season, says former Germany international Carsten Ramelow.

Wirtz has been one of the standout performers in a remarkable campaign for Leverkusen, who are just one win away from clinching their first Bundesliga title.

The attacking midfielder has 18 goal involvements in 28 league outings this term (eight goals, 10 assists), with his latest goal coming from the penalty spot in Saturday's win over Union Berlin.  

Among all Bundesliga players, Wirtz ranks third for successful dribbles (77), fifth for chances created (70) and fourth for expected assists (9.23 xA) this season.

His performances have won him plenty of admirers, with Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Real Madrid among those credited with an interest in the 20-year-old.

However, after seeing head coach Alonso reaffirm his commitment to Leverkusen, Ramelow, who made over 400 appearances for Die Werkself between 1995 and 2008, thinks Wirtz should follow suit. 

"For Leverkusen, he is indispensable," the 2002 World Cup finalist told Stats Perform. "The same goes for the national team, where he has found a good role. 

"There's a lot of speculation. When you're in great form, the big teams come knocking. Leverkusen hope he will continue with them for a while and move on after that. 

"In my opinion, it would be good for his development to stay in Leverkusen, because you can see if young players leave too early, it is not always good."

With Alonso refusing to jump ship, Ramelow feels Leverkusen still have plenty to offer Wirtz, saying: "To show consistent performances, you have to be where you feel happy, and I think Leverkusen is a good place currently. 

"They are so consistent. They have a lot of confidence and also a pinch of luck in the final moments to win games. That's really good. You have to look at the collective, the coach and his staff.

"But of course, Wirtz is a very young player who showed his talent many times over the last few years. He has made really good development and has lots more to come.

"Why not continue on that path for another one, two, maybe even three years and make the next step afterwards? This is what I think is the right way, but we will see what decision Wirtz takes."

Remarkably, Leverkusen are yet to lose a game in any competition this season. They have just six further games to navigate in the Bundesliga, while they will face second tier Kaiserslautern in May's DFB-Pokal final and are among the favourites to win the Europa League.

 As Leverkusen look to banish the ghosts of 2001-02 – when they finished as runners up in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League – Ramelow says all the credit lies with Alonso.

"When he arrived in Leverkusen, he was facing a few problems, which is normal. I think you have to give managers some time in this day and age," Ramelow said.

"That is what they did with him. He explained his philosophy and ideas very well to the team. The boys execute that really well. 

"The whole package is in perfect harmony. The season they have played is phenomenal. Their streak is sensational and it looks like they will do this until the end. 

"Every team has a bit of a lapse every season, but Leverkusen have been exceptional across all competitions. They can still win everything. Things are looking really good."

Bayer Leverkusen stayed on course for a German league and cup double by thumping Fortuna Dusseldorf 4-0 to reach the DFB-Pokal final.

Jeremie Frimpong, Amine Adli and Florian Wirtz scored first-half goals as runaway Bundesliga leaders Leverkusen made light work of second-tier opponents at the BayArena.

Wirtz added a fourth from the penalty spot as Xabi Alonso’s side – who are also in the quarter-finals of the Europa League – made it 40 games unbeaten in all competitions this season.

Dusseldorf’s away form in Bundesliga – seven wins and four draws from 14 games – had given them semi-final hope, but this was a much tougher challenge than they were accustomed to.

The size of their task was laid bare within four minutes when Emmanuel Iyoha’s last-ditch tackle prevented Frimpong from opening the scoring.

Marlon Mustapha instantly managed a weak shot at the other end, but the unmarked Frimpong rifled Leverkusen ahead after seven minutes with a ferocious shot into the roof of the net.

Leverkusen doubled their lead after 20 minutes from a lightning counter-attack launched from deep inside their own penalty area.

Wirtz released Adli and his unerring low finish into the corner of the net gave goalkeeper Florian Kastenmeier no chance.

There was a massive chasm between the sides and Leverkusen rammed home their superiority after 35 minutes.

Dusseldorf were caught out playing from the back and Adli repaid the compliment as Wirtz finished in style.

Wirtz saw another effort tipped over by Kastenmeier before Andre Hoffmann and Christos Tzolis threatened for Dusseldorf.

But Matej Kovar stood firm in the home goal and Leverkusen added a fourth on the hour mark.

Patrik Schick’s header was going wide, but the ball clipped the hand of Matthias Zimmermann to be diverted on to the post.

It was definitely not an intentional intervention from Zimmerman, but the referee was sent to the monitor for a VAR review and a penalty awarded.

Wirtz, fresh from scoring after six seconds for Germany against France, sent his devastating spot-kick in to the corner.

Dusseldorf wanted their own penalty after 74 minutes when Tzolis tangled with Frimpong in the box.

On first glance it looked as if Tzolis had got there first, but on closer examination Frimpong’s challenge was shown to be legitimate.

Leverkusen welcomed back Victor Boniface for the final 15 minutes, the 16-goal Nigeria striker having not played since December 20 because of a muscle injury.

Substitute Nathan Tella was denied a late fifth, but the party had already started with flares lighting up the BayArena.

Leverkusen – 13 points clear of Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga – will play second-tier Kaiserslautern in the DFB-Pokal final in Berlin on May 25.

Saarbrucken’s incredible run in the DFB-Pokal came to a disappointing end as they lost 2-0 to Kaiserslautern in the semi-finals.

Kaiserslautern failed to have a single effort on target in the first half at the Ludwigsparkstadion, but were a different side in the second period to book their place in May’s final in Berlin thanks to goals from Marlon Ritter and Almamy Toure.

Runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen face Dusseldorf in the second semi-final on Wednesday.

Third-tier Saarbrucken had claimed some huge scalps on their way to the last four, dumping reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich out in the second round before earning a 2-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.

Their quarter-final against Borussia Monchengladbach saw them snatch victory with another late goal, this time from Kai Brunker in the third minute of added time.

However, Brunker was unable to reproduce such heroics in the semi-final, firstly heading straight at visiting goalkeeper Robin Himmelmann and then failing to get his diving header on target from a Marcel Gaus free-kick.

Saarbrucken goalkeeper Tim Schreiber was called into action for the first time in the 48th minute as he comfortably saved a 25-yard shot from Filip Kaloc, but the 21-year-old then committed a costly error to gift Kaiserslautern the lead.

Ritter’s glancing header from Toure’s cross appeared to lack the power to trouble Schreiber, only for the ball to somehow go through the goalkeeper’s legs at the near post.

Toure doubled his side’s lead on 75 minutes with a far better header into the far corner from Tymoteusz Puchacz’s inswinging free-kick and that always looked enough to seal victory for Friedhelm Funkel’s side.

Saarbrucken pushed forward in search of the goal needed to get them back into the tie but Brunker’s miserable night in front of goal was summed up when he blazed a half-volley over the bar from close range and beat the ground with his fists in frustration.

It is the first time Kaiserslautern have reached the final of the DFB-Pokal since 2003 – when they lost to Bayern Munich – and they will be massive underdogs if, as expected, Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten Leverkusen side are their opponents.

However, Kaiserslautern’s route to the final four did include a 3-2 win against top-flight opponents Cologne in the second round before victories over Bundesliga 2 rivals FC Nuremberg and Hertha BSC.

Saarbrucken head coach Rudiger Ziehl is confident the pitch for their DFB-Pokal semi-final against Kaiserslautern will be playable after recent fears.

Their quarter-final tie against Borussia Monchengladbach at the Ludwigsparkstadion was postponed before kick-off in February due to rainfall and more recently their game against Rot-Weiss Essen on Easter Sunday was cancelled by the DFB due to concern about the pitch’s playability for the semi-final.

Third-tier Saarbrucken are aiming to continue their incredible run in the competition on Tuesday against Bundesliga 2 side Kaiserslautern and Ziehl insisted the pitch will be ready for the tie.

“If things don’t get extreme, the pitch has a playable surface. Then it will work that we can play. I was surprised that the pitch was in good condition,” said Ziehl in quotes reported by Zeit Online.

“The pitch looked good on Saturday morning, especially the critical areas from the Gladbach game. It was a smart decision to put the tarpaulin on again yesterday.”

Saarbrucken are 11th in the 3 Liga table and have had an extraordinary run in the cup this year, claiming some huge Bundesliga scalps on their way to reaching the final four of the competition.

In the second round they beat reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich 2-1 thanks to Marcel Gaus’ stoppage-time strike before earning a 2-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the following round.

Their rescheduled quarter-final against Monchengladbach saw them snatch victory with another late goal, this time from Kai Brunker in the third minute of added time.

Kaiserslautern’s route to the final four included a 3-2 win against top-flight opponents Cologne in the second round before securing victories over Bundesliga 2 rivals FC Nuremberg and Hertha BSC.

The final takes place at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on May 25 and Kaiserslautern boss Friedhelm Funkel admits the competition has been a “great experience”.

“I associate the cup and Berlin with a feeling of happiness,” said Funkel in quotes posted on the official Kaiserslautern X account.

“This is an incredibly great experience. There is a tension, a tingling feeling that is very special. I would like to experience that again, but Saarbrucken also wants to go to Berlin.”