Leverkusen boost title push with statement victory over Bayern
Never before in Bundesliga history have two teams had at least 50 points at this stage of a season, but that’s the incredible standard these two juggernauts have set so far this campaign.
Visiting boss Thomas Tuchel sprung a surprise with his team selection, opting for three centre-backs to match up Leverkusen’s shape, who themselves had boldly left Jeremie Frimpong and Jonas Hofmann on the bench.
Anticipation was at fever pitch at the BayArena, but supporters were made to wait as kick-off was delayed thanks to supporter protests against the DFL.
After a cagey opening 10 minutes that saw plenty of mutual respect on display, it was Leverkusen who burst into life to assert their authority.
Amine Adli was a livewire on the right, twice evading the visitors’ backline before testing Manuel Neuer. On the second occasion in which he was denied, Bayern’s defence fell asleep in the aftermath, and they paid the ultimate price as Robert Andrich’s low cross was turned home by Josip Stanišić of all players, coming back to haunt his parent club.
Bayern’s star-studded forward line was a non-factor for the vast majority of the first period as the Rekordmeister desperately struggled for a foothold in this pivotal clash.
Despite that, Tuchel left things as they were personnel-wise heading into the second period, and Xabi Alonso’s men capitalised to double their lead within five minutes of the restart.
A trademark counter from Die Werkself saw Nathan Tella and Alejandro Grimaldo link up with a simple one-two that sent the Spaniard into space, and he seized on it by rifling high into the net past a helpless Neuer.
Leverkusen may have been expecting a defensive examination once they’d moved two ahead, but they continued to push forward and came close through wing-backs Grimaldo and Frimpong - the former struck the bar directly from a corner.
Home goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecký was hardly tested in truth, and things could’ve been even worse for Bayern late on as Frimpong struck the upright.
The Dutchman was keen to get in on the act, and he put the icing on the cake in the 95th minute by adding a third, firing home from long-range into an empty net after Neuer had gone forward to attack a corner.
A commanding scoreline didn’t flatter Leverkusen at all, as they move ever-closer to shaking their tag as the Eternal Bridesmaids by opening up a five-point lead at the summit, as Bayern’s 11-year stranglehold on the Meisterschale appears to be in real danger.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen)
