Epic Battle of the 2023-24 Bundesliga Contenders Round Two

Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich

Patrik Schick was right when he said that the upcoming clash between Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich is going to be a turning point since it’ll help decide who wins the Bundesliga trophy this season.

Right now, Bayer Leverkusen have the edge because they have a two-point lead over Bayern Munich. But more importantly, Die Werkself managed to maintain their red-hot form because they’ve gone 30 straight games unbeaten in 2023-24 following their 3-2 comeback win against VfB Stuttgart in the DFB-Pokal.

However, it would be foolish to completely count out Bayern Munich because they’re the defending champions for a reason, and a win here would put them back on top of the German top-flight table, which is a dangerous prospect for those who are tired of seeing them dominate the league.

Talking Points

Bayer Leverkusen reload with Iglesias

Top scorer Victor Boniface remains unavailable for Bayer Leverkusen since Nigeria have made it to the AFCON final, which is why the club felt the need to add reinforcements up front during the recently concluded winter transfer window.

So they went out and got Borja Iglesias from Real Betis on loan. Prior to joining Die Werkself, the 31-year-old had played sporadically this season, so joining Bayer Leverkusen offers him a fresh start and a chance to win a big trophy.

Iglesias hasn’t started a game since Real Betis’ 2-1 loss to Celta Vigo last month. But on his Bundesliga debut against Darmstadt on Saturday, he was given the nod to start as Bayer Leverkusen’s lone striker right away, and they secured a 2-0 win.

Against VfB Stuttgart in yesterday’s DFB-Pokal quarter-finals, Iglesias came off the bench for Patrik Schick.

Iglesias’ loan deal has a buy option of €8 million, which Bayer Leverkusen can trigger if things work out between the two sides. You can never have too many high-character figures in the dressing room, and that’s what he brings to the table.

Musiala represents Bayern Munich’s youth development

Jamal Musiala is one of the top candidates for the Player of the Month award, which is not a coincidence since he had a great run in January.

The 20-year-old attacking midfielder tallied two Bundesliga goals last month, thanks to his brace against Hoffenheim on Matchday 17. Musiala was also second to Leroy Sane in terms of passes to a shot (7), and he was third in the league for attempted challenges (88), which he won 48-per cent of the time.

As of this writing, Musiala is now the third-leading scorer for the Bavarians, with seven goals and three assists this season. With Serge Gnabry still sidelined by a thigh injury, Jamal Musiala will continue to start as Bayern Munich’s left-sided winger.

Speaking of young talents, Bayern Munich has more of them in Aleksandar Pavlovic and Sacha Boey.

Pavlovic managed to score his first goal at Allianz Arena against Borussia Monchengladbach last weekend, while Boey, who joined the team from Galatasaray in January, hit the ground running in the same match.

History

Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich last faced off in September in a 2-2 draw. Die Werkself were in danger of losing the game when Leon Goretzka made it 2-1 after Alex Grimaldo nullified Harry Kane’s seventh-minute goal, but Exequiel Palacios came up with a clutch penalty kick to share the spoils.

That makes Bayer Leverkusen undefeated in two consecutive Bundesliga matches against Bayern Munich. Should they stay that way on Saturday, it’ll be the first time they have gone unbeaten against their Bavarian counterparts since 2010 (D3).

Die Werkself are only the fourth team in Bundesliga history to not lose any of their first 20 league matches of the season. They last managed to do so in 2009-10 under Jupp Heynckes.

Betting Tip

The Bundesliga 2024 odds expect another tight contest between Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich. The Bavarian giants were given the slight edge at 2.35 odds, whereas Bayer Leverkusen are at 2.53, and a draw is priced at 3.55 in the 1X2 market.

If you want Bundesliga 2024 highlights, then you will get them in this fixture, hence our recommended bet above. But if you’re going for a safer alternative, then check out Total Goal 2-3 at 2.14 or Over 3.00 at 1.78.

Given how evenly matched these two teams are, the real winners here are the SBOTOP football fans. We won’t be surprised if this turns out to be another high-scoring draw, and a Correct Score of 2-2 – the replay of their reverse fixture – is something also worth considering at 11.00.

 

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