Bayer Leverkusen's run to Bundesliga glory last season was, genuinely, one of the great shocks of European club football in modern memory.
Theirs may not have been an upset on the scale of Leicester City winning the Premier League in 2016, but it was no less herculean and impressive a feat to stop the almighty Bayern Munich winning a twelfth straight league title — all without losing a single game en route.
And there was a significant Nigerian imprint on that success, with Super Eagles attackers Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella contributing a combined 19 goals and 13 assists to that triumphant campaign.
Boniface was by far the more regular of the two in the starting XI, leading the line with aplomb throughout the season — save a stretch during which he was out injured — and finishing as Leverkusen's league topscorer, with 14 strikes. Tella, though, featured only sparingly, often coming off the bench, albeit to good effect.
Why Victor Boniface & Nathan Tella can go all the way once more
Leverkusen's objective for the new season, naturally, would be to prove that achievement was no fluke, and there would be no better way to do so than by defending their title. And, for at least a couple of reasons, they are certainly well-placed to do just that.
For one, Alonso has largely managed to maintain his squad, with the only notable exits being Josip Stanisic (back to Bayern Munich, his parent club) and Adam Hlozek (sale to Hoffenheim).
The net effect of those departures is, however, expected to be offset by the arrivals of two players — Jeanuel Belocian and Martin Terrier — from French club Rennes and the signing of Alex Garcia, one of the stars of Girona's brilliant 2023/24 season in La Liga.
For another, victory in the DFL-Supercup last Saturday over Stuttgart — which Victor Boniface, scorer of the opening goal, and Nathan Tella started — gives them a huge mental boost and doubles as a massive statement of intent ahead of the upcoming season.
Why Bayer Leverkusen may struggle to repeat the feat
Leverkusen will not have it all their way, though.
Their success makes them both an inspiration and a target for similarly-resourced clubs in the league — the likes of Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig — who are now conscious of the fact that they too, like Die Werkself, could go all the way if they push hard enough.
But none of the Bundesliga's other 17 teams would have greater motive, and the wherewithal required, to pursue and knock Leverkusen off their perch than Bayern, the division's top dogs and the dethroned champions.
The Bavarians have responded to last term's humiliation by changing trainers — Pep Guardiola protégé Vincent Kompany has replaced Thomas Tuchel in the dugout — and reinforcing key areas of the squad, sparing no expense in doing so.
Bayern would be encouraged, too, by the fact that Leverkusen endured a miserable pre-season during which only one game — against third-tier opposition — was won. Even the aforementioned win against Stuttgart felt laboured, with Leverkusen scrambling for a last-gasp equaliser before prevailing on penalties.
They may have won several of their games by such fine margins last season, but starting the new season that way does not exactly emit strength, and Bayern would be hoping Leverkusen are running out of steam — or, at the very least, scraping the bottom of the barrel of miracles.
Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella will have a big say in ensuring Leverkusen stay ahead of the chasing pack, kicking on from what was a dream debut season at the club for both.
The former will aspire towards increasing his output upfront, while the latter aims at the more modest objective of adding to his playing time and becoming a relatively more central figure in the team's affairs.
