Bayern Munich has plenty of tough games to look forward to after the international break; before the break though, they must handle Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen, a somewhat Jekyll and Hyde side this season. After a poor start, Leverkusen fired their manager, Gerardo Seoane and hired former Bayern midfielder Alonso. The Spaniard got off to a rough start but has slowly begun to perfect things.
All of this has resulted in a somewhat stop/start rise in the Bundesliga table; Leverkusen is still technically contending for a European spot. They also did well to beat Monaco in a playoff for the Europa League Round of 16 over two legs in a penalty shootout. Having lost the first leg at home, Leverkusen managed to win in Monaco, take the match to extra time and penalties and, in penalties, hold their nerve. Since then, they beat Ferencvaros home and away to claim a place in the last eight. Things will not get easier from here on out as they drew Union Saint-Gilloise, the team that knocked out Union Berlin in the previous round.
Bayern has a great record against Leverkusen. We will have to wait to see if the trend continues. Join us here on Bavarian Football Works for the full story. We have news, updates, podcasts, analysis, and a lot more besides — for this game and so many others! We never miss a match, so be sure to check it all out.