Why are Leverkusen eight points behind Bayern? | OneFootball

Bayer Leverkusen have only lost once, so why are they eight points behind Bayern Munich?

Defending Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen have only lost once in the league so far this season, so how come they're eight points behind leaders Bayern Munich going into their top-of-the-table clash?

It may seem pedantic to look for flaws in a side that has just gone 19 league matches unbeaten, but such was the relentless standard that Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen set in their historic unbeaten 2023/24 title-winning season. And their recent 2-2 draw at RB Leipzig - the only German team to beat the Werkself in over 18 months - highlighted one lingering vulnerability.

First-half goals from Patrik Schick and Aleix García had put Leverkusen 2-0 up and on course for the points, but they were pegged back and failed to win – and not for the first time this season.

Watch: Leverkusen held in Leipzig on Matchday 19

In fact, it was the sixth occasion in 2024/25 that Alonso’s side have failed to hold on to the points in the Bundesliga. The 3-2 Matchday 2 defeat at home to Leipzig was the first, and was followed by a 1-1 draw in Munich on Matchday 5, a 2-2 draw at home to Holstein Kiel on Matchday 6, a 2-2 draw in Bremen on Matchday 8 and a 1-1 draw in Bochum on Matchday 10.

It has also happened twice in the UEFA Champions League. A 1-1 draw with Brest on Matchday 3 and a 2-1 defeat at Atlético Madrid on Matchday 7 represent five points dropped from winning positions in Europe.

For context, this did not happen at all in 2023/24. Perhaps it was masked by Leverkusen’s tendency to score late winners last term when they smashed a staggering 22 goals after the 75th minute (including five in stoppage time).

This season they have managed just five goals in the final 15 - a figure 11 other sides in the league can better. Indeed, the reigning champions have been outscored by their opponents in the final 15 minutes so far this season - by eight goals to those five.

Watch: Analysing champions Bayer Leverkusen

There was a timely reminder of their late credentials as Schick struck in the 96th minute to send their DFB Cup quarter-final tie against Cologne to extra-time after trailing 2-0. But there hasn't been enough of that this term.

All of which begs the question; as the season heads into its decisive final months, has anything fundamental shifted, or have Leverkusen simply been unfortunate?

The lack of late goals have not made a significant difference to Leverkusen's overall scoring rate. Their 49 goals from their opening 21 matches have come at a rate of 2.3 per game - not far shy of their quota of 2.6 per match in 2023/24. With their shots per match also tracking closely at 15.5 compared to 18.1 last term, there is no obvious reason why the goals are no longer coming right at the end of encounters.

Other fundamentals in Leverkusen's play have remained remarkably similar, with average possession at 55 percent so far in the current campaign compared to 58.4 percent last time, and overall distance run an identical 118km per match. When it comes to sprints (244.4 vs. 235.6) and challenges won (52.9 percent vs. 51 percent), the double winners have actually improved their metrics this season.

The sole obvious statistical concern comes at the back - with Leverkusen conceding 1.3 goals per match this season - almost double the rate of 0.7 last time around. They have already let in more Bundesliga goals this term (27) than they did in the entirety of 2023/24 (24).

Watch: All of Florian Wirtz's goals and assists in 2024/25

Alonso therefore may be best advised to plot how the champions' defence might be tightened up. He will have seen last weekend's clean sheet with Wolfsburg as a step forward, but the lack of goals at the other end will have been cause for concern again as they dropped two points in a 0-0 draw.

Improve that frailty, though, and there are plenty of reasons to believe Leverkusen have what it takes still to close down the eight-point gap and overhaul Bayern, starting at home to the league leaders on Matchday 22.

Coming back to the Leipzig game, while the dropped points were unwanted, Bayer did manage to at least claim a point against the only Bundesliga team to have beaten them over the past 18 months, a run that incorporates 55 league matches!

They have now extended their unbeaten streak since then to 19 in the league, which is the kind of form that makes it impossible to cast them out of the title picture.

Added into the equation is also the magnificence of Florian Wirtz, whose creative powers have seemingly reached new heights this season with nine goals and nine assists in his first 21 appearances.

"It was a pleasure to see such beautiful actions,” Alonso told bundesliga.com after the playmaker's latest dazzling showing in Leipzig. “He is really, really special."

Watch: Alonso hails "really special" Wirtz

Then there is Schick - a source of several memorable late strikes last season - scoring for fun right now. His 14 goals in his last 11 Bundesliga appearances marks a remarkable haul and is better than any other player – even that of top scorer Harry Kane.

But are we being a bit harsh on Leverkusen while failing to praise Bayern for their efforts? Only three teams have ever had more points on the board after 21 games than Vincent Kompany's side with 54. One of those was Bayer 04 last season (55).

Compared to the standards they set last term, they are well down, while Bayern have stepped it up after their 2023/24 disappointment. The gap at this stage last season was only five points, with the Bavarians having lost three times.

With Wirtz, Schick and – perhaps – a more robust defence, Leverkusen could yet reel in Bayern in what is shaping up to be a thrill-a-minute title race.

Liked the article? Find more articles on the official Bundesliga App.