Leverkusen players celebrate after the German first division Bundesliga football match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Cologne in Leverkusen, western Germany on October 8, 2023. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER / AFP)
Munich: Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen continued their unbeaten start to the season by sinking derby rivals Cologne 3-0 to return to the Bundesliga summit on Sunday.
Leverkusen were superb in attack, goals from Jonas Hofmann, Jeremie Frimpong and Victor Boniface taking the side to a dominant victory against their struggling opponents.
Midfielder Granit Xhaka said Leverkusen were working hard to make it look easy.
"When you see how hard we're working daily, week after week, we've changed our mentality. We fight and we run," he said.
"It all looks beautiful," the former Arsenal midfielder said "but not easy."
A World Cup winner with Spain as a player in 2010, Alonso's influence on Leverkusen was clear in the home side's first goal, Hofmann finishing off a slick team move for the opener.
Boniface slid the ball to Alex Grimaldo on the left flank, the Spain defender finding Florian Wirtz who back-heeled for Hofmann to score his sixth goal in 10 games since moving from Gladbach in the summer.
Xhaka praised his "ambitious" manager, saying: "it's been a great honour to get to know him."
"He's so hungry for success, for perfection -- and you see that on the field."
Leverkusen doubled their advantage shortly afterwards, Grimaldo threading a ball across the face of goal for Frimpong to tap home.
Boniface scored Leverkusen's third midway through the second half, turning in an inch-perfect pass from Hofmann from close range to make it seven goals in seven league appearances this season.
Boniface had a chance to score a second late in the match, but skewed his shot just wide.
Leverkusen have now won nine of their 10 matches in all competitions this season, only dropping points in a pulsating 2-2 draw at reigning champions Bayern Munich.
The loss leaves Cologne stranded alone at the bottom of the table, with just one point.
Cologne captain Florian Kainz praised their "unbelievably strong" opponents, saying the struggling side were "working on it" as they hope to turn their season around.
Bayern can cut the gap to Leverkusen back to two points with a win at home against Freiburg later on Sunday, while Eintracht Frankfurt host promoted Heidenheim in the final match of the weekend.
