Bayer Leverkusen's Title Dreams, According to Calmund: A 30-40% Chance
In a recent chat with "Sport Bild," veteran Bundesliga manager Reiner Calmund believes Bayer Leverkusen has a decent shot at claiming the German soccer championship this season. Yet, he acknowledges that Bayern Munich remains the favored team due to their superior squad and championship experience. "I think their chances are around 30 to 40 percent," Calmund shared, despite expressing his enthusiasm if Leverkusen clinches the title, jumping two points ahead of Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga table after eleven match days.
Looking back, Calmund recalls the bitter taste of the 1999/2000 season as the moment that resonated most deeply in his career. During this campaign, Bayer Leverkusen almost sealed the championship, but a frustrating defeat on match day 34 at SpVgg Unterhaching dashed their hopes. As Calmund prepares to celebrate his 75th birthday on Thursday, this heartbreaking moment remains etched in his memory.
Nowadays, despite Calmund's optimistic view, many soccer enthusiasts and experts are skeptical about Leverkusen's title prospects, given strong competition from other Bundesliga teams, particularly Bayern Munich. Regardless, Leverkusen's loyal supporters remain undeterred, backing their team with unwavering vigor and hoping to witness another triumphant season, similar to the 1999/2000 period when Leverkusen narrowly missed out on the championship glory.
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(Enrichment Data: Odds and win probabilities for Bayer Leverkusen's potential title victory in the 2022/2023 Bundesliga season were not provided in the base article, but searching for similar statistics from other sources revealed that Bayer Leverkusen was projected to have a 25% chance of winning the championship in the 2024-2025 season, making them the favorite with an 80% probability, based on 2025 data.)
