Memorable Leverkusen late-late shows

Match: v Wolfsburg (h), 22 September 2024, Matchday 4
Goalscorer: Victor Boniface
Time of goal: 90'+3'
Result: 4-3

Wolfsburg had pushed Bayern Munich close on the opening day of the campaign before ultimately succumbing 3-2, and they twice went ahead against Leverkusen prior to being pegged back on both occasions. Two minutes before the end of normal time, Yannick Gerhardt was sent off for Die Wölfe, which may have had an impact on what followed. The winner was hardly the most beautiful of goals, but Boniface still did brilliantly to turn and direct a shot into the bottom corner beyond the grasp of Kamil Grabara. In all honesty, the result was deserved given Leverkusen's dominant second-half display, but another late, late show was required to earn their just rewards.

Watch: Bayer Leverkusen 4-3 Wolfsburg - highlights

Match: v Borussia Mönchengladbach (a), 23 August 2024, Matchday 1
Goalscorer: Florian Wirtz
Time of goal: 90'+11'
Result: 2-3

The defending champions enjoyed a super start to the defence of their Bundesliga title, taking a 2-0 lead into half-time at the home of Gladbach, with Granit Xhaka and Wirtz on target. However, the Foals stormed back to level proceedings as the rain fell on Borussia-Park. Never ones to drop their heads, Leverkusen stuck to their attacking task and were awarded a penalty 11 minutes into stoppage time when Amine Adli was fouled. Jonas Omlin pulled off a top stop to deny Wirtz from the spot, but last term's Bundesliga Player of the Season pounced on the rebound to spur huge celebrations in the visiting ranks. Bayer were up and running in familiar fashion.

Watch: Wirtz fires B04 to opening win

Match: v VfB Stuttgart, 17 August 2024, Supercup final
Goalscorer: Patrik Schick 
Time of goal: 88'
Result: 2-2 (Leverkusen win 4-3 on penalties)

Scenes of Schick celebrating with his Leverkusen teammates after netting late goals on the domestic and European fronts last season were commonplace. With his side behind in this term's curtain raiser against Stuttgart, the Czech substitute already had a chance to equalise a game VfB seemed destined to win. Schick wouldn't be denied a second time when sent through by assist-king Alejandro Grimaldo with just two minutes left on the clock. An assured finish sent the contest into penalties, which the Werkself won to add one more trophy to their rapidly growing collection.    

Watch: Bayer 04 enjoy Supercup success

Match: v Bayern Munich (a), 15 September 2023, Matchday 4
Goalscorer: Exequiel Palacios
Time of goal: 90'+4
Result: 2-2

Leverkusen had just climbed to the top of the table the week before the Matchday 4 clash, and showed in no uncertain terms just how determined they were to stay there. After Grimaldo had shown the Bundesliga what a brilliant summer signing he was with a spectacular free-kick, the Werkself found themselves 2-1 down as the game entered stoppage time. Jonas Hofmann was bundled over by Alphonso Davies in the box and a VAR check gave the visitors a lifeline - which World Cup winner Exequiel Palacios duly seized by smashing the penalty into the corner of the net. It was a goal to "send a message", in the words of Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard, and that message became increasingly clear as the season progressed - this side would simply never give up, even when they appeared down and out!  

Watch: Bayern Munich 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen - highlights

Match: v VfB Stuttgart (h), 7 February 2024, DFB Cup quarter-final
Goalscorer: Jonathan Tah
Time of goal: 90'
Result: 3-2

As Leverkusen approached the winter break still unbeaten, the feeling grew that something special could be brewing. When they reached the start of February still at the top of the table, it was clear they were serious title contenders - as well as being challengers in two cup competitions. Stuttgart - perhaps the second biggest sensation of the season behind Leverkusen - gave Alonso's men a stern test of their credentials in a pulsating DFB Cup quarter-final. But once again it was Bayer who came out smiling at the death.

The visitors had led twice on the night but Tah's 90th-minute header from a pinpoint Florian Wirtz cross decided it. That was the latest of six strikes from Tah so far this season - a significant goalscoring contribution for a centre-back, which underscores just how the entirety of the champions' squad has chipped in to power their sensational charge for honours.  

Watch: How Bayer Leverkusen have remained unbeaten in 2023/24

Match: v Qarabağ (h), 15 March 2024, UEFA Europa League quarter-final
Goalscorer: Schick
Time of goal: 90'+8
Result: 3-2 (Leverkusen win 5-4 on agg.)

You cannot go through the entire season without at least one setback along the way, surely? That's what everyone was thinking at the 90-minute mark as Leverkusen were heading out of the UEFA Europa League at the hands of spirited Azerbaijani champions Qarabağ. Everyone apart from Alonso and the Leverkusen side, who kept on battling away to try to level the tie on aggregate. Schick was, fittingly for so much of his goalscoring, late to the party this season as injury had restricted him to just a minute of action before December. He then proved to not only be a very capable stand-in for Victor Boniface when the Nigerian himself was injured, but also a conjurer of numerous vital late strikes. Qarabağ were warned about his magic as the Czech striker levelled the first leg in stoppage time in Baku to keep his side's unbeaten record, yet they could do nothing to stop him in the return meeting - as goals in the third and eighth minutes of additional time sent Leverkusen through to the quarter-finals in the most remarkable fashion. 

Watch: All of Patrik Schick's goals in the Bundesliga

Match: v Hoffenheim (h), 30 March 2024, Matchday 27
Goalscorer: Schick
Time of goal: 90'+1
Result: 2-1

A 3-0 win over Bayern in February (featuring, you guessed it, a stoppage-time goal from Jeremie Frimpong) had left Leverkusen in a very promising position as they remained unbeaten going into the March international break and topped the table by ten points. The Bavarians were in no mood to give up their title defence - and could always hope the leaders would feel the pressure as the title race reached its climax. That indeed looked like it might be the case as Hoffenheim nicked a lead in Leverkusen, and held on with their goal under siege - until Robert Andrich volleyed home a loose ball in the area with 88 minutes on the clock, and Schick pounced on a Nathan Tella cross to pull off yet another stoppage-time heist. Bayern then lost 0-2 to Borussia Dortmund later the same day to all but place the Meisterschale in Leverkusen's hands for the very first time. 

Watch: Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Hoffenheim - highlights

Match: v Borussia Dortmund (a), 21 April 2024, Matchday 30
Goalscorer: Josip Stanišić
Time of goal: 90'+7
Result: 1-1

The Leverkusen late shows continued despite the club sealing the league title - or to be more precise, right through their securing of the league title, as Wirtz completed his hat-trick in the 90th minute on a momentous day against Werder Bremen, sparking a pitch invasion of delirious fans as the honour was confirmed. A week later, a trip to a Borussia Dortmund side in confident mood after securing a UEFA Champions League semi-final spot looked a tricky assignment. After 96 minutes of play it seemed that it would finally be the day Leverkusen lost this season - at the 45th hurdle in all competitions. Yet again they refused to accept that, and their sheer grit showed with defender Stanišić meeting a corner with an unstoppable header at the near post. Alonso could barely seal his delight as his history-breaking side took another step towards an unprecedented undefeated season, with the following weekend also seeing yet another last-gasp leveller as Robert Andrich equalised with the final kick of the ball in a 2-2 draw against Stuttgart.

Not yet had enough of the Leverkusen late shows? Sit back and enjoy some big Werkself celebrations from 2023/24 ...