Online Reporter
BAYER Leverkusen will resume their recent German Bundesliga football rivalry at Bayern Munich today but are almost completely unrecognisable from the side who struck fear into the hearts of the Bavarian giants in past seasons.
Under Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen went toe-to-toe with Bayern for more than two seasons, pushing them harder than any German side had done since Jurgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund more than a decade before.
Alonso’s Leverkusen won three and drew three of their six domestic fixtures with Bayern during his tenure at the club, including a 3-0 demolition in February 2024 on the way to an unbeaten league and cup double.
This season however, the clubs’ fortunes have reverted to type. Leverkusen lost several first-team cornerstones in the summer and are on their second coach of the season, with Kasper Hjulmand replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag after just two Bundesliga games.
With just eight games played, Leverkusen sit fifth, seven points behind an unstoppable Bayern.
Bayern’s 4-1 German Cup win over Cologne on Wednesday was their 14th in 14 games, breaking a decades-old record for the best start in the history of Europe’s top-five leagues.
The contrasting records have Leverkusen looking unlikely to be the first to take points off Bayern this season, but there is hope. Under Hjulmand, Leverkusen have won six and drawn four, losing just one match — albeit a 7-2 thumping at the hands of European champs Paris Saint-Germain.
With Wednesday’s 4-2 German Cup win over second-division Paderborn going to extra time, Hjulmand promised to give his side time to recover before the trip to Bayern.
“Those extra 30 minutes were not ideal for us, but that’s football.
“From now, it’s all about recovery, treatment, nutrition, and everything necessary to be ready to win against Bayern. “These next few days are important — not much training, but regaining energy.”
FIXTURES (all 4:30pm unless stated)
Today: RB Leipzig v Stuttgart, Heidenheim v Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Berlin v Freiburg, Mainz v Werder Bremen, St Pauli v Borussia Moenchengladbach, Bayern Munich v Bayer Leverkusen (7:30pm)
Tomorrow: Cologne v Hamburg (4:30pm), Wolfsburg v Hoffenheim (6:30pm) — AFP Sport.
