Aluminum and Bayer provide barrier, safeguarding Bavaria's entry point.
In the big Bundesliga clash, Bayern Munich struggled for victory: Serge Gnabry found the back of the net twice in quick succession, but Bayer Leverkusen managed to rescue a point. The reigning champions also faced challenges from Harry Kane.
No winner emerged triumphant in this high-stakes encounter: Bayer Leverkusen successfully thwarted Bayern Munich's offensive onslaught, securing their first points against the Munich team after four straight wins. With a mix of tactical acumen and well-executed defense, coach Xabi Alonso's team held Bayern Munich to a 1:1 draw (1:1).
Leverkusen grabbed the opening goal via Robert Andrich in an unexpected turn of events (31st minute). However, Bayern Munich responded with an inspired strike from Aleksandar Pavlovic, who equalized before half-time (39th minute). The Munich team came to realize that their opponents presented a different level of challenge than their previous foes. Although Leverkusen looked reserved and passive, the Werkself displayed a cautious approach.
Leverkusen dominates, Bayern scores
The game saw plenty of action on the field and on the sidelines. Coaches Vincent Kompany and Alonso were constantly working on their teams, adjusting their tactics in response to their opponents. For Bayern, the main concern was fending off swift counterattacks, while Leverkusen focused on retracting to a 5-4-1 formation during Bayern Munich attacks. Even that prodigious talent, Florian Wirtz, was primarily tasked with defensive duties according to Alonso's strategy.
Bayern held sway in the game with their aggressive pressing and sturdy defense, but finding an opening towards the goal remained elusive. Leverkusen tightly restricted the space around the penalty area, forcing Bayern to frequently recycle the ball near the halfway line, lacking creativity.
Bayern Muenchen's finest opportunity arose from a set piece: Michael Olise curled a free kick towards the net (22nd minute). Just as the game was winding down, Leverkusen mysteriously scored. After a corner triggered by Pavlovic, Andrich, who was stationed just outside the penalty area, produced a flawless strike, finding the far corner with ease - Leverkusen's seventh goal from a set piece.
Misfortune for Gnabry
A stunning goal from Pavlovic brought Bayern back level on Saturday evening: The forward capitalized on a cleared ball that was too short and fired it into the net with power. Victor Boniface, who could have made a decisive intervention, failed to react in time.
Following the break, Serge Gnabry had a golden opportunity to turn the game in Bayern's favor: After a pass from Harry Kane, who had a modest game like Boniface, he struck the post and the crossbar in one swift motion (48th minute). Olise also had another promising opportunity, but his shot from a challenging angle was blocked by Lukas Hradecky, who had few saves to make thanks to his diligent defense.
Despite Bayern Muenchen's dominance in the game, they struggled to find a way past Leverkusen's tight defense. Leverkusen, on the other hand, continued to thrive in their defensive strategy, even managing to score a goal from a set piece, thanks to Robert Andrich's accurate strike (62nd sentence).
In the midst of Bayern's attacks, Serge Gnabry showed his prowess, but unfortunately, his powerful shot hit both the post and the crossbar, missing out on what could have been a game-changing goal (63rd sentence).
