What a distinction a yr makes. Upon taking my seat within the BayArena TV commentary place 12 months in the past, I remarked to co-commentator Patrick Owomoyela that it appeared surprisingly heat for mid-February below the Bayer-Kreuz (Bayer Cross).
We put our phrases for worldwide viewers to Bayer Leverkusen‘s emphatic and richtungsweisend (path pointing) 3-0 win over Bayern Munich sporting solely gentle jackets, whereas some followers of die Werkself loved the expertise in conventional Karneval costume for the reason that Spitzenspiel (high sport) went forward on the Saturday earlier than Rosenmontag, all the time a particular, celebratory weekend in these components.
This yr, as a result of quirks of the calendar, the road components of Karneval are nonetheless two weeks away, and the climate is colder with a brisk breeze from the east swirling across the metropolis Wasserturm (water tower) with dollops of Schneeregen (a snow-rain combine) within the forecast.
As an alternative of a two-point lead for Leverkusen, it is a yawning eight-point deficit. Bayern have seized management and in the event you’re questioning if the German language has a phrase for an efficient clinching of one thing tangible whereas falling wanting an arithmetic assure, it actually does. Die Vorentscheidung (the preliminary determination) beckons if the Rekordmeister overcomes the defending Meister (champion) right here on Saturday.
However Leverkusen know {that a} victory for them on this Meistergipfel (summit of champions) would reopen the title race. That is how high-quality the margins are relating to the psychology of the confrontation.
Thoughts video games all the time appear to be an element when Bayern are concerned in a giant home tussle and maybe predictably, this was the week when the way forward for Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz took centre stage within the type of a dream by Bayern’s not often quiet honorary president Uli Hoeness that the 21-year-old sensation would possibly in some way find yourself in Munich this summer time.
Leverkusen’s sporting chief Simon Rolfes was most likely on the correct strains when he remarked that since he started studying Kicker (the revered specialist soccer journal) when he was 10, he has anticipated such tales to be timed impeccably.
The very fact is Wirtz has a contract till 2027 and Bayern are extra involved with shoring up the important thing members of the present squad, like Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich. This summer time is unlikely to see main outgoings on the Säbener Strasse.
Bayern’s 2-1 Wednesday night time victory over Celtic in Glasgow was absolutely deserved, their first UEFA Champions League win not secured on German soil this season. Nonetheless, after dominating for 80 minutes, the previous few minutes have been chastening as they dropped off following a number of substitutions and allowed their hosts to cost at them. A Zitterpartie (a sport with a tension-filled finish) hadn’t seemed probably.
Due to the significance of the fixtures, this week has been labelled for Bayern “die Woche der Wahrheit” (the week of fact). The primary precedence was to determine a superb Ausgangsposition (beginning place) forward of the second leg, which they’ve finished. Now, it is all in regards to the journey to the Rhineland and it could be correct to say a draw, thus sustaining an eight-point lead, could be acceptable for Bayern.
That is to not say they’re going to be taking part in defensively to realize that end result. It’s but to be seen what Vincent Kompany’s most popular type shall be in any case, however there should still be an inclination to permit Leverkusen to come back at them after which attempt to judiciously decide them off.
Bayern typically get into hassle when the road that includes defenders Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-Jae turns into overly excessive, however given the truth of the desk, there isn’t a cause to be crushed that means on Saturday.
Bayern’s energy continues to be excessive up the pitch. Harry Kane‘s 73rd purpose in 74 aggressive Bayern appearances the opposite night time following a Kimmich nook, made us briefly cease speaking about his actually outstanding penalty kicks. I have been watching soccer for a number of many years now and may’t keep in mind ever seeing a greater, extra scientific exponent of the spot kick-taking artwork.
Think about that Kane has dispatched his previous 29 penalties for membership and nation and is 20 out of 20 for Bayern. Ought to the Englishman achieve success from the spot on the BayArena, he’ll develop into solely the second Bundesliga participant (after the legendary Paul Breitner) to make it an ideal 10 penalties in a single marketing campaign.
It is not simply Kane that Leverkusen have to fret about. Michael Olise‘s thumping purpose at Celtic Park coming in off the left was a reminder of how properly he has tailored to new calls for in Munich.
Though Musiala’s type has dipped barely — he has scored only one purpose in eight aggressive video games and has solely two Bundesliga assists this season — he stays a match-winner within the making. He’ll wish to outshine Wirtz, who has develop into an in depth pal by way of their taking part in collectively for Germany.
I might search for the skillful Aleksandar Pavlović, who scored a stunner within the 1-1 draw with Leverkusen in September to come back in for Leon Goretzka. Left-back is the principle drawback place, although, towards lightning-fast raids from Jeremie Frimpong. With Alphonso Davies nonetheless on the sidelines, Kompany should resolve between Raphaël Guerreiro and a extra orthodox defensive selection.
Josip Stanišić, who scored within the fixture final season for Leverkusen whereas on mortgage from Bayern, is a candidate now that he is match once more, however one suspects it is too quickly for him simply as it’s for Hiroki Ito, who made his Bayern debut on Wednesday night time after a protracted absence with a foot harm.
Leverkusen are coping with a variety of “what might need been” elements proper now. What in the event that they hadn’t blown a 2-0 lead in RB Leipzig just lately? What if Wirtz and Frimpong had began the 0-0 draw towards Wolfsburg final week as a substitute of large-scale rotation within the type of eight adjustments following the gruelling Nachbarschaftsduell (neighborhood duel) DFB-Pokal victory over Cologne?
Think about if it have been a four-point distinction slightly than the eight-point chasm that has opened up.
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Kompany: Kane remains to be enhancing regardless of his age
Bayern Munich supervisor Vincent Kompany believes Harry Kane remains to be enhancing regardless of his age on account of his constant work charge.
There are a number of issues in Xabi Alonso’s favour this weekend, although. One is his personal unbeaten report as coach towards the group he performed for between 2014 and 2017. In each assembly, whether or not towards Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel or now Kompany, the person from the Basque area has deployed a tactical tweak to wrongfoot Bayern.
By favouring a again 4 with 4 central defender varieties throughout the chain — versus his regular again three — Alonso has created a platform that has nullified Bayern’s extra inventive performers whereas making the most of Frimpong’s jet-heeled qualities and Alex Grimaldo‘s technical aptitude larger up the pitch.
The important thing, although, has been to do it otherwise each time towards the Rekordmeister. Again in September in Munich, it was cussed and defensive, if unspectacular and positively adequate to get the 1-1 draw Leverkusen achieved. In December, additionally on the Allianz Area within the DFB-Pokal, the sport turned on a key early second when a protracted, raking Jonathan Tah move discovered a sprinting Frimpong, who was upended illegally by Manuel Neuer outdoors the field and rightly despatched off.
What would be the particular tactical Schachzug (chess piece) on Saturday? Ceaselessly in video games of this character, Alonso leaves out orthodox strikers fully, preferring pacy runners or a false 9 in Wirtz.
For anybody who enjoys soccer ways, this shall be one for you. Above all, although, Leverkusen-Bayern has — for now anyway — develop into the definitive compelling German fixture to not be missed.
Can the defending champions recreate components of their unforgettable Meisterkusen season and reignite the race? Or is that this the day when Bayern cement their credentials on the summit?
