Bayer Leverkusen comprehensively beat Bayern Munich within the derby of the season within the Bundesliga on the BayArena on Saturday, with Bayern loanee Josip Stanisic (18′), Alex Grimaldo (50′) and Jeremie Frimpong (90+5′) all on the right track for the house aspect.
It was a vital victory for Xabi Alonso’s group, who seem unstoppable as they cost in direction of lastly dethroning the Bavarians because the kings of German soccer.
The sport
It was definitely a deserved victory for Leverkusen as properly. They actually put in a prime efficiency all through, utilizing all the suitable areas, attacking and repeatedly hurting Bayern wherever they felt the champions weak.
Stretching the pitch to its full size, it’s no shock all three objectives had been scored by large gamers, although it needs to be mentioned that Granit Xhaka and Robert Andrich actually put in a shift in the course of the park, the defensive trio of Edmond Tabsoba, Jonathan Tah and Piero Hincapie stored the likes of Harry Kane, Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala unusually quiet, and the creativity of Florian Wirtz, together with the tempo of Nathan Tella and Amine Adli, troubled the Bayern defence significantly.
It was pretty to see Leverkusen exert a lot management over the proceedings towards a group like Bayern Munich, who don’t take too kindly to being outplayed in such a fashion. In the long run, the defending champions had been arguably fortunate to lose solely by three objectives – had not Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae proven their particular person high quality on the again on a number of events, in addition to Manuel Neuer in aim, it might’ve been a number of extra objectives of their web.
Bayern by no means actually created something worthy of point out. The one conditions when Lukas Hradecky may need felt threatened had been hopeful efforts from vary by Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich, however even these barely troubled the Leverkusen keeper as one went over the bar and the opposite straight at him, with an offside name given towards Bayern within the buildup.
Leverkusen fired 14 instances in direction of Neuer and hit the goal eight instances, whereas Bayern took 9 of which just one went the suitable means. However what makes Leverkusen’s domination and victory much more spectacular is the truth that they did all that with simply 39% of possession.
The title race
The defeat on the BayArena clearly has big ramifications on Bayern’s probabilities of defending their title. The Bavarians gained the league each time since Jurgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund beat them to it twice, the final time in 2012, and it appears the run that stands at 11 consecutive titles is about to return to an finish this season.
The three factors gained by Leverkusen have prolonged their result in 5, which in itself isn’t too far out of attain for a group like Bayern, however given Leverkusen’s spectacular document this time period, it’s not very simple to think about the mix of them faltering twice and Bayern successful all their video games. It’s removed from over, however even the impartial lovers of the sport largely hope Leverkusen maintain on and eventually drive a change on the throne.
Stuttgart and Dortmund in third and fourth place, respectively, each path second-place Bayern by 10 factors and it feels fairly protected to imagine neither will handle to enter the race earlier than the tip.
Xabi Alonso
Although they in all probability aren’t desirous about that too onerous proper now and like to concentrate on the title race, the way forward for Xabi Alonso is arguably the largest downside Leverkusen will likely be coping with over the subsequent a number of months.
Numerous experiences have claimed that the Spaniard has a form of a launch clause in his contract, permitting him to depart the membership if any of the three European giants for which he as soon as performed – Liverpool, Actual Madrid and Bayern – come for his companies. It stays to be seen how a lot reality there may be in such claims, although it seems Liverpool are a really critical risk there, with Klopp just lately confirming his departure from Anfield on the finish of the season.
However, if Leverkusen do win the title, Bayern would possibly really feel it’s time to half methods with Thomas Tuchel and go for Alonso themselves, which might certainly complicate issues significantly.
Come what could, Alonso’s credential as a top-level coach can’t be objectively doubted any extra. For all of the speak about “it’s only one season”, for his group to stay undefeated thus far in all competitions is actually an amazing achievement, particularly as no one noticed them being 5 factors away from Bayern by the center of February; to not point out thrashing them as they did on this sport.
Bayer Leverkusen are actually unbeaten in every of their 31 video games throughout all competitions this season and have opened up a 5 level hole on the prime of the Bundesliga:
◉ 27 wins◉ 4 attracts◉ 0 defeats◎ 93 objectives◎ 18 conceded◎ 15 clear sheets
In the event that they keep away from defeat of their subsequent… pic.twitter.com/r0bkOe1PBt
— Squawka (@Squawka) February 10, 2024
In the intervening time, there’s nothing for Leverkusen however to benefit from the experience and cheer their supervisor on, hoping to elevate the Bundesliga title, and even perhaps for Europa League glory, the place they might be compelled to face Liverpool in some unspecified time in the future.
