Abdelrahman
Let’s take a journey through today’s events in chronological order.
Pre-Match Insights:
Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich faced off in a pivotal clash that could determine the outcome of the German title race, a situation that could have wrapped up by mid-February. This matchup is one of the biggest highlights of the 2024/25 season in German football.
Given the significance of the occasion, I settled in on my couch with a beer well over an hour before the game started. I quickly observed the lighthearted mood among Leverkusen players during warm-ups, with Granit Xhaka, perhaps Bayer’s most crucial player historically, leading the joviality. Even though it was a must-win for Leverkusen, the weight of expectations clearly rested on Bayern.
This season marks a record-breaking beginning for Bayern under Vincent Kompany, as they appear nearly invincible in the Bundesliga on paper. However, as many fans can attest, statistics often fail to capture the complete picture.
While Bayern has comfortably defeated mid-tier teams like Bochum, Holstein Kiel, and Werder Bremen, they’ve encountered difficulties against top-tier opponents, both in domestic and European competitions. I’d argue that Kompany inherited a squad that can’t quite be classified as ‘world-class,’ especially when compared to the formidable teams of 2012/13 and 2019/20. Manuel Neuer is showing signs of age, Thomas Müller has become a substitute, and Robert Lewandowski has been replaced by an English forward who relies heavily on his team’s backing to thrive.
First Half Insights:
Among the eleven analysts from Sky Deutschland, none predicted a victory for Bayern Munich. From the kickoff, the match felt strikingly different compared to Vincent Kompany’s first encounter with Xabi Alonso back in September 2024. This time, Leverkusen came out much more assertive from the start, while in Munich, they had opted for a more defensive approach. Perhaps Xabi views Bayern as less of an invincible force now, but he is no fool; Leverkusen’s lineup included six defenders and zero strikers.
The outcome? Leverkusen dominated the initial 25 minutes, consistently winning the ball in Bayern’s half as the Bavarians struggled to build play from the back. Both Jeremie Frimpong and Nathan Tella struck the bar—Leverkusen should have been two goals ahead.
Xabi Alonso’s squad remains exceptional in transition play. The wing-backs, Konrad Laimer and new addition Hiroki Itō, had trouble containing the pace of Frimpong and Piero Hincapié. More importantly, Bayern’s offensive efforts were ineffective—truly disappointing.
They failed to register a single shot in the first half. Has that ever happened before?
Second Half Insights:
Around the 58th minute, it occurred to me—Bayern seemed content with a draw. With an eight-point lead over Leverkusen, the title looked almost secured. After all, they were up against a team that has managed just one loss in the last 56 Bundesliga matches. Was Vincent Kompany adopting a more cautious approach for once? Settling for a draw in the hopes that Leverkusen would overextend? It felt like a precarious strategy…
In the 72nd minute, Bayern, through Harry Kane, finally recorded their first shot of the match. It was easily blocked by a Leverkusen player.
I’ll admit, the conclusion of this piece would have been vastly different had Florian Wirtz converted that easy chance in the closing minute.
But ultimately, that’s how Bundesliga titles are claimed, folks.
Post-Match Reflections:
Vincent Kompany achieved the outcome he desired. Despite the crowd’s chants of ‘Allez, allez, Leverkusen, allez’, Bayern would leave the stadium with an eight-point buffer.
Let’s be clear: Bayern got lucky this evening. They have much to improve offensively. However, defensively and in terms of strategic adaptability, their performance was surprisingly promising. Kompany demonstrated he is not tactically naive; he knows how to manage a game. Before stoppage time and the barrage of late chances, Bayern executed this strategy quite effectively.
In September 2024, Xabi outwitted Kompany by employing a defensive strategy to secure a result at arguably the toughest ground in Germany. Tonight, Kompany outsmarted Xabi by adapting to defensive football and obtaining a result at the second most challenging venue.
While I’m uncertain which team reigns as the best in Germany, it’s clear that Bayern took a significant step toward clinching the league title tonight.
