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Three points against Leverkusen on Wednesday night would take the Bavarians one step closer to their 30th Bundesliga title. Both these teams will lock horns after registering victories in their last fixture – Bayern Munich with a 3-2 win against VfL Wolfsburg and Leverkusen thumping FC Köln 3-0 on Saturday night.
Bayern are once again continuing their dominance in the league, winning 21 games in 29 league outings. Their recent win at the Volkswagen Arena saw them control the game with 53% possession and 14 attempts at goal, with nine of those on target. Young Jamal Musiala stole the limelight once again, with a brace in the first half, while Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting capitalised on Robert Lewandowski’s absence through a 24th-minute goal. The Bavarian giants have found the net for the sixth game running and have scored twelve times in between.
After being eliminated in the Champions League quarter-finals against Paris Saint Germain last Wednesday, Bayern found themselves in another turbulent situation. This time head coach Hansi Flick announcing his exit after the campaign ends next month. Nonetheless, the team responded well under pressure and bounced back to winning ways in style.
Die Werkself will be arriving at the Allianz Arena, riding on their motivation to qualify for a European spot. Jamaican winger Leon Bailey scored twice and set up the other for Moussa Diaby as Bayer Leverkusen met with an expected win over the Cologne outfit. Heading to the game, Bayer knew three crucial points should boost their chances for a better finish at the table and made use of all the opportunities presented to them. Bailey found the net within 5 minutes after kick-off and carried on his stellar performance for the next hour and a half.
Loanee Moussa Diaby scored his team’s second, right after the second half began with Bailey sealing the deal in the twenty minutes before full-time. The result puts Leverkusen in fifth, six points behind fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt as Hannes Wolf’s men continue putting pressure on the latter for a Champions League spot.
Key Players
One of the most exciting talents currently in world football, Jamal Musiala, has been Bayern’s young player of the season. The 18-year-old recently changed his international team, pledging allegiance to Germany, representing England from Under-15 to the Under-21 squad. Six fantastic goals in his first full campaign with the European champions will surely nurture his confidence even further. Watch this space.
Joshua Kimmich’s exceptional performance regularly has made him one of the best midfielders in the world right now. The German was signed by Pep Guardiola in 2015 and started his career as a right-back and often a make-shift centre-back. Only after the departure of club legend Philipp Lahm and Xabi Alonso in 2017, he rose to prominence in the middle of the pitch, where he felt the most comfortable. An integral member of Bayern’s sextuple winning campaign, Kimmich remains one of the most exciting players to watch out for every single week.
Leon Bailey. The 23-year-old has been exceptional for his side once again; 8 goals and 8 assists this season and he has been the spearhead in Bayer’s attack along with Patrick Schick and Lucas Alario. Following Kai Havertz’s transfer to Chelsea, the Jamaican has delivered whenever asked of him as he eagerly waits for the club’s prospect of playing in the Champions League, should his side pick up crucial points in the business end of the tournament.
Teenager Florian Wirtz has been Bailey’s partner in crime this season. The midfielder who made his debut shortly after his 17th birthday in May last year, has already netted four times goals and assisted six more in 24 Bundesliga games. An attacking midfielder capable of playing down the wings, Wirtz has already been compared to the likes of former Bayer Leverkusen teammate Kai Havertz. The world is waiting for him if he reaches his full potential while his club looks to cash in on this prodigy.
Prediction
The previous encounter between these two clubs back in December finished favourably for Hansi Flick’s team, who won the game 2-1. Robert Lewandowski scored at both halves after Patrick Schick gave Leverkusen a bright start within 15 minutes.
A similar result is expected once again, with Bayern looking to wrap up their title hunt within a fortnight after Leipzig’s goalless draw against Hoffenheim on Friday. Bayern will miss Douglas Costa, Corentin Tolisso, Niklas Süle and Marc Roca through injuries, whereas Leon Goretzka and Serge Gnabry could be back for this meeting.
Bayer Leverkusen need a win, and recent performances suggest they might have enough power to breach their opponent’s defensive unit. But they have to manage without their core players, including Julian Baumgartlinger, the ever-important Santiago Arias, Lars Bender, and Timothy Fosu-Mensah as a Champions League spot waits on the horizon.
