An intriguing match will be on the cards as Bayer Leverkusen welcome Bayern Munich for a top of the table matchup at the BayArena on Saturday. Both teams have managed to pull clear of the chasing pack, and it's Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen sitting on top of the heap with 52 points picked up from their 20 Bundesliga ties. Die Werkself have really undergone a remarkable transformation since the Spanish tactician took over, and come into this game unbeaten in their last 30 matches across all competitions. That includes a 3-2 win over Stuttgart earlier in the week to advance to the DFB-Pokal semi-finals.
Leverkusen's attack has won plenty of plaudits in the Bundesliga, with their 52 goals scored only bettered by Bayern's 59. However, it's their excellent defense that really has helped the team enjoy one of their best campaigns in recent times, with just 14 goals conceded from 20 matches.
That defense will surely be facing a huge test when Bayern come to town on Saturday. Die Roten, who are two points behind their upcoming hosts, nonetheless have the strongest attack in the top flight with 59 goals scored so far. Spearheaded by Harry Kane, who has netted 24 of those goals, the reigning Bundesliga winners will naturally be determined to avoid a repeat of their last visit to the BayArena, which saw them lose 2-1. Before that loss, die Roten had won their last four visits to Leverkusen's home ground and will come into this game knowing that a win will help them reclaim top spot in the table.
Bayern have dominated the Bundesliga landscape for well over a decade, and although they barely scraped by to win their 11th consecutive title last season, are still naturally the team to beat as they hope to make it number 12 at the end of this term.
Match facts: Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich
- Bayer Leverkusen are unbeaten in their last 30 games across all competitions
- Bayern Munich have won four of their last five trips to the BayArena in all comps, however die Roten lost 2-1 in their most recent trip
- This is the first time two teams have had at least 50 points after just 20 games (Leverkusen, 52; Bayern, 50)
Team news: Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich
Bayer Leverkusen: Victor Boniface and Arthur are both out injured, while Exequiel Palacios is in doubt for this game due to a thigh issue. Meanwhile, Odilon Kossounou is involved in international duty with the Ivory Coast at this year's AFCON.
Bayern Munich: Kim Min-jae is likely to be included after returning to Germany earlier than expected following South Korea's shock elimination at the AFC Asian Cup. However, die Roten still have quite a few players out injured, including Serge Gnabry, Bouna Sarr, Kingsley Coman, Alphonso Davies, Daniel Peretz, and Tarek Buchmann. Both Joshua Kimmich and Dayot Upamecano could be involved after featuring in training, but Konrad Laimer and Bryan Zaragoza will need to pass late fitness tests to determine their availability.
Broadcast info: Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich
Here are your live-streaming and TV broadcast options for watching Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich live from wherever you are currently based:
Match details, result and original broadcast info
This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
