Bayer Leverkusen vs. Bayern Munich Venue: BayArena, Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Bayern Munich Date: Saturday, February 15
BetXchange Bayer Leverkusen vs. Bayern Munich Odds:
History
The top two teams in the Bundesliga meet on Saturday as defending champions Bayer Leverkusen host perennial winners Bayern Munich.
Leverkusen continued Harry Kane’s streak of failing to win a major trophy in his career last year, defying the odds to finish the league season without a single defeat.
The Nearly Men of German football have found things tougher going this time. They are eight points behind Bayern on the log, with 46 points to Munich’s 54. A win for the visitors to the BayArena on Saturday would put them 11 points clear at the top, all but sealing the title, barring an unexpected late-season collapse.
Bayern is on a hot streak. They have won five on the bounce domestically and carry a 2-1 win into their Champion’s League playoff second leg at home to Celtic. The 2023-24 Bundesliga runners-up have lost just one game all season. They also have a dominant goal difference of +46, with 65 goals scored and 19 conceded, both the best in the league.
Leverkusen have matched Bayern in only losing one game in the league this season. Their issue has been drawing too many games. While Bayern have drawn just three times, Leverkusen have taken one point home on seven occasions.
They have been good defensively, conceding just 27 goals. At the sharp end, they have been less consistent. Though their 49 goals scored are the second most in the league, they are still far less than Bayern has managed. Their last five results have been less consistent, winning three times and drawing twice.
Bayer Leverkusen
Xavi Alonso has yet to lose a match against his former employers. Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel, and Vincent Kompany have all tried and failed to beat the Basque coach.
Alonso will be looking to 21-year-old starlet Florian Wirtz to produce on this biggest stage to keep that streak alive. Rotating Wirtz and seven other starters in the draw last weekend against Wolfsburg was a tactical mistake, and Leverkusen needs something from their beacon here to claw back those lost points.
Bayern Munich
Bayern will be led up top again by Kane, a player whose ability to score goals is almost taken for granted. He has scored a remarkable 73 goals in 74 games for Bayern, adding another to his tally in the midweek match in Glasgow.
Jamal Musiala will be looking to impress after a recent dip in form. The combination of Kane and summer signing Michael Olise has pushed Bayern forward, even without Musiala at his best. However, this would be an ideal time for the Stuggart-born German international to return to his outstanding best.
Best Bets
This rivalry has overtaken Bayern Munich versus Borussia Dortmund as the elite Bundesliga fixture.
Bayern knows that while a win here would all but wrap up the title, a draw would suit them just fine, too. Given Leverkusen’s tag as draw specialists this season, a 1-1 draw at 31/5 looks like a good value bet if you are into correct score predictions.
