Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen ended Saturday’s Bundesliga summit clash all level but head into this coming week’s UEFA Champions League games knowing that things could be about to get somewhat tougher. The top two in Germany traded goals via Aleksandar Pavlovic and Robert Andrich in a draw but both go into their European games off the back of big wins which are about to be tested in high-profile second matchday encounters. Bayern travel to face Aston Villa while Leverkusen are about to take on Milan at home and a low-scoring domestic title clash made for an ideal test ahead of a return to UCL action.
Vincent Kompany’s men maintain a three-point lead over Xabi Alonso’s side which is perhaps the most important element overall but it also represents the only time that Bayern have been unable to win so far this season. As well as a continued run of decent form for Die Werkself despite an early loss to RB Leipzig, the Bavarians dominated possession and chances created but Leverkusen were less wasteful which could count in their favor moving forward given Bayern’s more favorable fixtures so far this term.
This was a chance for the visitors to pull level with the early season leaders but ultimately it was a stalemate between arguably the two strongest sides in the Bundesliga. Although it could ultimately count against Leverkusen as two points dropped given that they took the lead before the home outfit leveled, it is also proof that there is perhaps not as big a difference between the two as was perhaps made out earlier this term. Greater mastery over 90 minutes might be required against Milan this coming week but pragmaticism won out domestically and could be to their benefit.
Perhaps, to Leverkusen’s credit, they were able to hold Bayern to a single goal, which no team has been able to do at all this season across all competitions and it is difficult to imagine a leaky Villa defense resisting for a full 90 minutes in Birmingham. However, for the hosts, four other teams have scored more than once against the Bavarians already this year and that inability going forward could come back to haunt Alonso and his players as this season wears on. European form is separate to domestic but the level is arguably higher game by game and Kompany’s men have more experience when it comes to balancing Bundesliga and UCL commitments.
The Belgian tactician has his team firing going forward and reasonably tight defensibly for now but the sample size remains relatively small given the two teams’ different set of opening fixtures. The Spaniard has arguably come through the trickier set of games and is only three points short of league-leading pace with just two points less than RB Leipzig in second. That is about to change, though, with Villa, Eintracht Frankfurt, VfB Stuttgart and Barcelona next up in a loaded run of games for the German giants.
As for Leverkusen, Milan, Holstein Kiel, Frankfurt and Stade Brestois 29 are relatively easier games to face and logically should produce points for the defending German champions before the tougher tasks of Stuttgart and Liverpool. Where that leaves the Bundesliga title race is undecided, for now, but it has been suggested that there could be changes to come instead of Bayern running way with things until a team like Leverkusen comes along to ruffle some feathers. In the meantime, RB Leipzig are up on the rails in second between Bayern and Leverkusen while Borussia Dortmund are within three points of top spot which hints at a more open title race in Germany than usual.
