Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich
BayArena forms the backdrop for a mouth-watering Bundesliga top-table six-pointer between an unstoppable Bayer Leverkusen side and record-time champions Bayern Munich.
Fatigue could be catching up with a high-flying Bayer Leverkusen side after they had to fight back twice and net a stoppage-time winner to beat Stuttgart 3-2 in midweek DFB-Pokal action, moving a step closer to lifting the title for the first time since 1992/93. However, securing Bundesliga glory for the first time in the club’s history tops Xabi Alonso’s bucket list, with his ‘Die Werkself’ team coming into proceedings on the back of 30 unbeaten games across all competitions (W26, D4). Only two matches away from equalling an outright record in German football held by none other than Bayern Munich, the hosts seek amends for a stomach-wrenching 0-0 draw against Borussia Monchengladbach in their last home league outing. Despite generating an impressive 2.87 xG, Leverkusen posted their only scoring blank of the season in that fixture.
Perennial Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich were on the receiving end of Leverkusen’s scoring prowess in the reverse fixture as a dramatic H2H at the Allianz Arena ended 2-2, marking the second straight league game against ‘Die Werkself’ in which they’ve conceded more than once. With just one win from their last four Bundesliga encounters against Leverkusen (D2, L1), the visitors would be forgiven for harboring suspicions over their chances of extending a three-game winning league streak and whittling down a two-point gap between the sides. However, before slumping to a 2-1 defeat in this corresponding fixture last term, the ‘Bavarians’ had won three consecutive top-flight H2Hs at the BayArena by a combined score of 11-4, suggesting they could become the first club to beat Leverkusen this season!