Xabi Alonso reveals when he first told his Leverkusen players they could win the Bundesliga title

16 points clear of second-placed Bayern Munich with five games left to play, Bayer Leverkusen clinched the Bundesliga title in convincing fashion on Sunday with a 5-0 victory over Werder Bremen.

Although Die Werkself have been at the top of the table for some time now, head coach Xabi Alonso has been hesitant to talk about the title - not only in public, but also in the dressing room.

Asked when he first told the team they could be champions, Xabi Alonso said:

"Late. Maybe before the Hoffenheim game [just over two weeks ago]. Before that, of course, we wanted it, but we didn't talk about the title. After Hoffenheim, it was clear to us that this was our big goal. We had enough reasons to believe that we could win it."

Reflecting on the significance of leading Leverkusen to their first ever Bundesliga title, Xabi said:

“I remember coaches like Christoph Daum, Klaus Toppmöller... they were at the club and I want to share this trophy with them. This is history. We have to share it and enjoy it. At the moment we need a little time to accept what we have achieved. You can see the value for the fans and the players. I'm happy to be a part of it.”