Bayern 3 – 0 Leverkusen: Of Dreams and Nightmares  | OneFootball

Bayern is having a historical season with Vincent Kompany, but despite the numbers, one complaint by many of us fans was that the Bundesliga record wasn’t reflected in the Champions League.

Xabi Alonso came to this match with a historic record of facing Bayern six times and not losing a single one. The last time Xabi and Kompany faced each other, Leverkusen dominated but wasn’t able to score, and it seemed the Spanish manager had an edge over Bayern’s Belgian coach.

This article written by Pepe Salazar

Today we saw both managers’ debut in the Champions League round of 16, and while one couldn’t have asked for a better result, the other might not have foreseen the nightmare he had coming.

Small Changes, Big Consequences

Xabi set Leverkusen up in a 4-4-2 with a double false nine, like he did the last time he faced Bayern. Kompany played the same 4-2-3-1 he uses in most matches, but several subtle tactical variations took place in order to make sure Leverkusen wouldn’t be able to press Bayern in the build up.

A small but important change was that in this match Bayern wasn’t scared to play long balls (not due to being pressed) mostly aimed towards Kingsley Coman, who was constantly positioned in a 1v1 against Mukiele. For most of the first half Kimmich occupied the left half-space, while most matches he does so in the right, this may have been an adaptation to prevent 1v1 situations with Florian Wirtz.

Another change by Kompany occured in the pressing phase; during the first 20 minutes or so, Bayern pressed very high with rotating players. A subtle modification to Bayern’s defensive structure was using Coman as a situational midfielder or fullback to create a 2v1 in defense that worked very well against Frimpong, as the Dutch wingback had, frankly, a forgettable performance.

Playing Coman so deep in the defensive phase was also useful in transitions; when Leverkusen lost the ball, the French winger could carry the ball or pass quickly. To counter Leverkusen’s compact block, Bayern also played fearless switch passes to the wingers that opened up their back line.

Leverkusen is a side that rotates players seamlessly, but the absences of Tapsoba and Hradecky proved to be decisive in several instances of the game, particularly during Kanes’s goal, a perfect header in which Mukiele looked completely lost, and in Musiala’s goal, where Kovár chose the worst situation to get a routine save wrong.

A few moments after Kovár’s mistake, Bayern lost their own goalkeeper, after Neuer was substituted due to a knee problem which forced Jonas Urbig to a premature Champions League debut with the Bavarians.

However, this was a match where Bayern’s experience in the competition may have clashed with Leverkusen’s first Champions League round of 16 match in nearly 10 years, as the young Urbig didn’t even have to make a single save.

In general, while Bayern adapted their tactics and looked sharp throughout the whole match, Leverkusen looked shy and confused, having what could be their worst night of the season and Xabi’s worst game as a manager since their 0-3 loss against Atalanta in the 2024 Europa League final.

Leverkusen did not look like the side that had remained unbeaten against Bayern since September 2022, as they were effectively dominated for most of the game. By the 35th minute, Bayern had shot seven times, Leverkusen only one, and by the 60th minute, shortly after going down by two goals, things became a nightmare for Xabi’s side, as Mukiele received his second yellow card and was sent off after a foolish challenge against Kingsley Coman.

To compensate for Mukiele’s red, Xabi brought in Tapsoba, who minutes later would literally hug and knock down Harry Kane during a corner kick, causing an inexcusable penalty meaning by the 75th minute mark, Bayern would be up 3-0.

The Curse Has Been Lifted

Most fans didn’t expect Bayern to win in such a way. A 1-0 or 2-1 for either side would not have been a surprise, as draws and cagey matches have been the common denominator between these two teams.

Unless something historical and miraculous happens for Xabi’s side, the 3-0 in favor of the Bavarians has them well on their way to the Quarter Finals. Vincent Kompany will have plenty of time for planning and rotations to get his team ready for what’s coming both in the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

Giving Stanisic, Pavlovic and Palhinha more playtime will prove useful to gain squad depth and tactical flexibility, as, unlike previous seasons, Bayern seems to arrive to the crucial part of the season in excellent form, with most players recovered from injuries, and team morale up to the roof.

Well done by Vincent Kompany and his squad, they finally lifted the curse and in a spectacular way; the road to winning the Bundesliga and the Champions League is open.