UNBEATEN LEVERKUSEN BEAT BAYERN MUNICH TO MOVE 5 POINTS CLEAR

 Monday 10 February 2024

Bundesliga Matchday 21/34

Bayer 04 Leverkusen Vs Bayern Munich

BayArena, Bismarckstraße 122-124, 51373 Leverkusen, Germany

UNBEATEN LEVERKUSEN BEAT BAYERN MUNICH TO MOVE 5 POINTS CLEAR

Bayer Leverkusen continued their unbeaten run in the league by outclassing Bayern Munich 3-0.

MATCH PREVIEW:

The title-deciding game couldn't have come at a better time for both these teams. A top-of-the-table clash featuring Xabi Alsono's Bayer 04 Leverkusen Vs Thomas Tuchel's Bayern Munich. Both teams are having great time in the Bundesliga, with the Werkself unbeaten throughout the league this season with 16 wins and 4 draws, whereas Bayern suffered 3 defeats throughout the whole league  and remain 2 points behind them even with summmer signing and England captain Harry Kane bagging goals for the Bavarian giants. The last encounter saw a 2-2 draw between these two sides as they continued to dominate the Bundesliga by winning games, left, right and center. Who will fare out in this electric clash in the Bundesliga, will it be Xabi Alonso's Werkself, or Thomas Tuchel's Rekord Meister?

TEAM NEWS:

The home side make 4 changes from their dramatic DFB-Pokal win over title-contending rivals  Stuttgart, with Lukáš Hrádecký, Nathan Tella, Josip Stanišić (on loan from Bayern) and Amine Adli in the starting XI in place of Matěj Kovář, Jeremie Frimpong, Jonas Hofmann, and Patrik Schick, with the quartet dropping to the bench for the hosts.

Visitors Bayern Munich make 3 changes from their 3-1 win over old-school rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach, with Kim-Min Jae back into the defence following his nation's exit from the Asian Cup. Also in the starting XI are Dayot Upamecano, who is back from injury and new signing from the January window from Galatasaray, Sascha Boey. Thomas Müller, Matthijs De Ligt and Joshua Kimmich return to the team, as they make the substitute bench.

KICK-OFF: FIRST HALF

Here we go, in this massive fixture of this title-deciding match, Bayern kick-off, hoping to end the hosts' unbeaten run througout the Bundesliga. And we can see already that Bayer 04 Leverkusen are set-up for a counterattack, if they win the ball and can hit them on the break with great pace, aggression and pressure. And after the first 10 minutes, the game's first chance came for the hosts, summer signing from Southampton, Nathan Tella set up Amine Adli, but the Moroccan man couldn't take full advantage as Manuel Neuer comfortably takes the ball following the youngster's shot on target. On 16 minutes, GOAL FOR BAYER 04 LEVERKUSEN!! From the short corner, Robert Andrich's cross found Josip Stanišić, who stroked it into the empty net to score against his parent club. Massive moment in the game for Die Werkself.

Josip Stanišić scores against his parent club to put Leverkusen 1-0 up on 16 minutes.

Big game and big goal for the Croatian youngster!! He makes it Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1 - Bayern Munich 0. What can Bayern do here? Can they answer to this setback caused by the Leverkusen?

Well, the home side are just pressuring the visitors very well, as Wirtz's follow-up shot was blocked by Eric Dier! 

And it doesn't help if Leverkusen just continue to press for Bayern as they once again withstood the pressure that the home side are creating and they had their chance on 44 minutes. But Leroy Sané's shot was over the bar under pressure from Josip Stanišić.

HALF-TIME at the BayArena! What a good half for the unbeaten leaders! Bayern have huffed and puffed throughout the game and had their chances to attack. Can the defending champions come roaring back in the second half, or will Leverkusen build on that brilliant first-half performance until the end.

KICK-OFF: SECOND HALF

The home side kick-off the second half, looking to extend their lead at the top to 5 points. And 4 minutes in, IT'S A SECOND GOAL FOR BAYER 04 LEVERKUSEN!! AND IT'S ALEJANDRO GRIMALDO!!  The Spaniard plays a one-two with Nathan Tella and fires it into the back of the net!! The 27-year-old has now scored against Bayern twice. This is his 8th league goal of the season and his 17th goal contribution! What a signing and what a terrific season he is having!

Grimaldo scores Die Werkself's 2nd goal of the night on 50 minutes.

With frustration growing for Thomas Tuchel, he sends on Kimmich and Müller for youngster Pavlovic and Upamecano as the former Dortmund head coach changes to a back 4 to try and get back into the game. Are these subs going to work? And it gets worse for the champions as Leon Goretzka is booked for his foul on Amine Adli, he joins Sascha Boey in the book. And the problems continue as Leverkusen bring on superstar Jeremie Frimpong for the impressive Nathan Tella.

With more subs coming on, Die Werkself wrapped up the 3 points in stoppage time to seal the game. IT'S A 3RD GOAL FOR BAYER 04 LEVERKUSEN! AND IT'S JEREMIE FRIMPONG WHO HAS SCORED!!!  Game, set and match, says Jeremie Frimpong as he runs away on the counterattack to score into the empty net as Neuer committed himself forward for a Bayern Munich corner, that led to a deadly counterattack finished off by the 23-year-old fullback.

Jeremie Frimpong scored Leverkusen's 3rd goal to seal the 3 points.

THE FULL-TIME WHISTLE HAS BEEN SOUNDED!! What a brilliant night for Bayer Leverkusen as they have beaten Bayern Munich at home to register their 17th victory to move 5 points clear of the defending champions. CAN THEY END BAYERN'S DOMINANCE BY WINNING THE BUNDESLIGA THIS YEAR?

MAN OF THE MATCH: ALEJANDRO GRIMALDO

The Spaniard was unplayable today as he taunted the Bayern backline, and gave the defending champions no room to breathe and fully took advantage on the counterattack to score and create chances. What player the 27-year-old Spaniard is! Can he be instrumental in Leverkusen's success to the Bundesliga title!