Dortmund Defeats Leverkusen 4-2 in Alonso Farewell, Boosts Champions League Hopes

Borussia Dortmund secured a 4-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in Xabi Alonso's farewell home game, boosting their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. Leverkusen took an early lead through Jeremie Frimpong, but Dortmund responded quickly with goals by Julian Brandt and Julian Ryerson before halftime, and further goals by Karim Adeyemi and Serhou Guirassy in the second half sealed the win. Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, Leverkusen struggled to overcome Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel's saves. Alonso, who is set to leave Leverkusen after a successful tenure including a league and cup double last season, was honored before the match, while Dortmund coach Niko Kovač emphasized the team's focus on maintaining their recent strong performance. With this win, Dortmund sits just one point behind Freiburg, who currently hold the last Champions League qualifying spot, ahead of the final Bundesliga round. The match also marked the departure of Leverkusen's long-serving defender Jonathan Tah, adding to the farewell atmosphere.