Bundesliga
How do Bayern and Leverkusen stack up?
The second clash of the season between league leaders Bayern Munich and 2023/24 double winners Bayer Leverkusen is coming up in the round of 16 of the DFB Cup. We take a look at the key battles that could prove decisive in this mammoth cup tie.
>>> Follow Bayern vs. Leverkusen in the DFB Cup!
Going into it on good form
A lot has happened since the two teams shared the spoils in late September. The bright starts made by both sides at the beginning of the campaign had both been somewhat slowed by some frustrating results. For Bayern, this came in the form of Champions League away defeats to Aston Villa and Barcelona, while Leverkusen let a two-goal lead slip at home to Kiel, were pegged back twice in Bremen and conceded late on away at Bochum, with all three draws halting their momentum from the opening fixtures.
That said, both Vincent Kompany and Xabi Alonso's sides are going into this DFB Cup tie with their chests pumped. The Bavarians claimed a significant Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain last week to make it seven straight wins in all competitions - and without conceding.
That momentum was slightly halted at the weekend as Bayern conceded and dropped points for the first time in over a month as they were held to a 1-1 draw away at Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker.
Watch: Dortmund 1-1 Bayern - highlights
Leverkusen resumed their campaign with a 5-2 comeback victory over Heidenheim and then completed a 5-0 thrashing of Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League. Die Werkself then ground out a 2-1 win at Union Berlin on Saturday to climb up to third in the table.
Both teams are certainly picking up the right results in the build-up to this tough cup tie.
Watch: Union 1-2 Leverkusen - highlights
Strikers - or lack of them - in focus
The age-old saying ‘goals win games’ won’t need reiterating to either attack. Bayern are on 56 goals for the season, with the visitors from Leverkusen trailing not far behind on 43. Star striker Harry Kane has already netted on 20 occasions this season, but the England captain will be out through injury for this fixture, meaning a re-shuffle up top for Kompany.
Jamal Musiala scored winning goals against Benfica and St. Pauli just days apart from each other, before netting the late equaliser in Der Klassiker. He has six league goals and 10 in all competitions already this season, and will be vital to Bayern's plans without Kane in the picture.
Watch: Musiala - from initiator to finisher
First-choice striker Victor Boniface is also unavailable for Leverkusen after the Nigerian picked up a hamstring injury whilst on international duty. In his absence, understudy Patrik Schick formidably filled in for his teammate with a perfect hat-trick against Heidenheim, then scoring a further goal against Salzburg and the winner at Union.
The Czechia international's ability to step in and deliver when necessary makes him a jewel in the Leverkusen attack, and with two career goals against Bayern already to his name, Schick will feel confident that he will be able to provide once again to keep his side’s DFB Cup dreams alive.
Watch: Schick's perfect hat-trick against Heidenheim
Scores to settle
On the one hand, it can be useful to look at recent results from the past couple of seasons in a specific fixture to gauge either team’s mentality or tactics going into the next meeting. When it comes to Bayern vs. Leverkusen, particularly since Xabi Alonso took over at Die Werkself, the reigning champions can be said to have had the upper hand over the record champions.
Alonso hasn’t lost in four games against Bayern since becoming the Leverkusen boss (won two, drawn two), which will give his side confidence going into their next trip to the Allianz Arena.
Watch: Alonso discusses Bayern cup game
In terms of cup form, the last DFB Cup meeting between the two sides came in the 2020 final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. The Bavarian side, then coached by Hansi Flick, emerged as winner with a 4-2 victory as part of their historic treble and subsequent sextuple.
However, given the four-year gap between that tie and this one, the result will have little bearing over Tuesday’s proceedings, and may be just a mere memory in the back of the minds of those who were involved on that day. For Leverkusen, Lukáš Hrádecký, Edmond Tapsoba, Jonathan Tah and Florian Wirtz were all in the matchday squad, whilst Manuel Neuer, Alphonso Davies, Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Kingsley Coman, Thomas Müller and Serge Gnabry all collected a medal that day.
On the other hand, this is cup football, a time when the form book goes out the window. Bayern won’t need reminding of this given their last DFB Cup campaign, where they were eliminated in the second round by third-division side Saarbrücken. Come full-time on Tuesday evening, whether that is after 90 minutes, 120 minutes or following a penalty shootout, one of these two teams will be in the pot for the quarters, with the other having to wait until next year to try again to get their hands on the silverware.
Defensive dynamics
Whilst both sides have been on something of a goalscoring frenzy this season, the first Bundesliga meeting between the pair ended just 1-1, which speaks to the defensive quality possessed by the teams. Leverkusen’s back line was particularly tested in late September, with the hosts from Munich registering 18 shots over the 90 minutes and recording 69 percent possession. Marshalled by Germany international Tah, the Leverkusen defence held firm against Bayern’s multi-faceted attacking threat and were only beaten by a long-range stunner from Aleksandar Pavlović.
Watch: Bayern 1-1 Leverkusen - highlights
The same can be said for the Bavarians’ back line, who only conceded to Robert Andrich's powerful strike from the edge of the box. Their high proportion of possession was a form of defence in itself, as they kept the away side far from their goal and forced the champions to come up with something special to get past Neuer between the sticks.
Bayern’s remarkable recent run of seven straght wins in seven was accompanied by seven consecutive clean sheets, demonstrating just how well the players are adapting to Kompany’s style at both ends of the pitch. This record makes an encouraging case for the Bavarians' defence, and is made all the more impressive considering the various absentees among defensive-minded Bayern players. Pavlovic has been out since mid-October and only returned to training last week, whilst summer signing João Palhinha is also sidelined with a groin injury.
This exciting round of 16 tie sees Germany stars Wirtz and Musiala facing off once again. Whilst the pair combined brilliantly during Germany’s successful UEFA Nations League campaign, they will be fierce opponents in Tuesday’s clash, with both eager to play a starring role and guide their team through to the last eight.
Bayern’s No.42 has made a blistering start to the season, having already netted 10 goals for the Bavarians in 17 appearances in all competitions. Equally as impressive as the attacking midfielder’s output is the variety of goals he is scoring. Musiala already has four headed goals this season and found the back of the net from long range against St. Pauli, meaning that he poses a threat to defences from any scenario.
Three of his 17 goals came in the form of a second-round hat-trick in the win against Mainz, and the Germany international will be eager to add to his cup tally against the defending champions, thereby stealing the limelight away from compatriot Wirtz.
Watch: Musiala's DFB Cup hat-trick against Mainz
However, the Leverkusen playmaker, who too has had a positive start to the campaign, will be just as up for this DFB Cup tie as Musiala. The Werkself No.10 has also scored nine goals in 20 Leverkusen appearances this season, and also has four league assists to his name, proving his ability as a creator and a finisher.
Wirtz has come off the bench as a second-half substitute in both of Bayer's DFB Cup matches in 2024/25 to help see out the victory, but there's little doubt that he will be involved from the start in the round of 16. Last year, Wirtz scored three goals and got four assists, including a semi-final brace against Düsseldorf, as Leverkusen completed a domestic double.
This fixture would come as no surprise to fans if it was taking place at the Olympiastadion on 24 May 2025. But rather than meeting in the final showpiece, Bayern and Leverkusen will face off at the Allianz Arena in the round of 16 on Tuesday 3 December.
Rarely is anything guaranteed in football, but, as is the nature of the DFB Cup, there will have to be a winner on the night, so make sure you’re around to find out which of these sides gets one over their rivals and continues to fight on three fronts.