Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2024-02-09 17:30.
Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso described midweek cup adversaries Stuttgart as the “best opponent” they’ve faced at the BayArena this season, but that might be about to change as Die Werkself welcome Bayern Munich for a potentially title-deciding showdown. Leverkusen may not be at their freshest after needing a 90th minute winner to come through that DFB-Pokal tie and progress to the semi-finals, though they kept hopes of an unlikely treble of trophies alive.
It also extended their astounding unbeaten record this term to 30 matches (W26, D4), just two shy of the all-time record in German football, which is rather unsurprisingly held by Bayern. But Alonso’s men could step out of their shadows in more ways than one way here as victory in this titanic clash would move Leverkusen five points clear at the summit and pile the pressure on the reigning champions.
Thomas Tuchel’s men will no doubt have their eyes on the prize as a Bayern victory would see the Rekordmeister leapfrog Leverkusen and reassume control of the Bundesliga for the first time since matchday five! Bayern’s impressive 16 wins from 20 league matches has thus far proved insufficient, and as such is the remarkable standard set by these two juggernauts, this is the first time in Bundesliga history that two teams have had at least 50 points at this stage of a season.
One of the four occasions in which Bayern have dropped points this term came in the reverse fixture, when they conceded a 94th minute penalty in a 2-2 draw. That made it just one win from the last four H2H meetings (D2, L1), but prior to their defeat on this ground last season, Bayern had won three consecutive league trips to the BayArena, scoring 11 goals in the process.
Players to watch: A duel of arguably the two most exciting talents in German football pits creative maestros Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala against each other. Wirtz has directly contributed to 23 goals from 28 appearances in all competitions this term (G8, A15), while Musiala had a hand in three strikes the last time Bayern defeated Leverkusen, which was at home early last season (G1, A2).
Hot streak: Bayern scored before half-time in each of the last 13 Bundesliga H2Hs.