Bundesliga Preview: Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich, key stats, line-up, odds, prediction

Leon Goretzka-Bayern Munich

It’s a top of the table clash this weekend as league leaders Bayer Leverkusen take second-placed Bayern Munich in the final weekend of Bundesliga action in 2020. 

Stadium: BayArena.

Key Statistics

  • · Leverkusen’s Leon Bailey has nine goals from his last nine competitive outings. He’s also hit four goals in nine meetings with Bayern.
  • The hosts have won two of their last three league meetings with Bayern, and have lost just three of their last 11 home league assignments against them (Win 3, Draw 5).
  • Only Lewandowski (one every 63) and Erling Haaland (65) have a better minutes-per-goal ratio in the Bundesliga this season than Leverkusen striker Alario (at a rate of one every 70 minutes). 
  • Bayern Munich’s Lewandowski has only scored four times in 17 Bundesliga games against Leverkusen, and just twice in nine for Bayern.
  • The Bavarians have conceded first in their last six Bundesliga matches.
  • Manuel Neuer has kept 197 clean sheets in his 416 Bundesliga appearances to date, but only two this season.

Bayer Leverkusen

Despite losing star player kai Harvetz to Chelsea in the summer, Peter Bosz has rallied his boys to set an early pace in the Bundesliga. Die Werkself have surprised everyone this season and sit on top of the Bundesliga table after twelve games with 28 points—one ahead of Bayern Munich. 

The head into this tie as the only unbeaten team in the German topflight this season (W8, D4) and will be looking to end the year top of the table. A win here will take them four points clear at the top going into the winter break. 

They will fancy their chances against a Bayern Munich side that has conceded 18 times this season.

Possible Line-up

Lukas Hradecky; Sven Bender, Jonathan Tah, Edmond Tapsoba, Daley Sinkgraven; Florian Wirtz, Julian Baumgartlinger, Nadiem Amiri; Leon Bailey, Patrick Schick, Moussa Diaby.

Bayern Munich

The defending champions trail Leverkusen after 12 games and will look at exerting their authority in this fixture. 

Hansi Flick’s side still remain favourites for this year’s league campaign but have been off-colour in their recent away games. The visitors have conceded in all six opening Bundesliga road trips (W4, D1, L1).

They, however, will be confident of picking up a win here as they boast one of the best attacks in world football. The Bavarians have scored in all 25 of their last matches and in Lewandowski, they have a chance.

The Pole was crowned FIFA best player award and became only the third player to reach 250 goals in the Bundesliga.

Possible line-up

Manuel Neuer; Benjamin Pavard, Jerome Boateng, David Alaba, Alphonso Davies; Jamal Musiala, Corentin Tolisso; Serge Gnabry, Thomas Müller, Kingsley Coman; Robert Lewandowski.

Odds

Bayer Leverkusen : Draw : Bayern Munich :: 3.75 : 4.20 : 1.83

Prediction

Both teams to score

Leverkusen to open the scoring

Leverkusen 2-3 Bayern