Bayer Leverkusen – Bayern Munich: Defending Champions Fail To Win Much-Needed Three Points Despite Dominant Display (0-0)

Bayer Leverkusen rue multiple missed chances after a dominant display against Bayern Munich. The defending champions proved they would not let go of their trophy without a fight, denying their rivals a shot for over seventy-minutes. In the end, however, as legendary German player Lothar Matthäus aptly summed up: “Bayern Munich won 0-0”, with a draw maintaining their eight-point stronghold on the Bundesliga title race.

Tactical analysis and match report by Nick Smoothy.

Xabi Alonso disputed the notion that Bayern Munich’s visit to the BayArena this weekend was a title decider. This despite the reigning Bundesliga champions trailing the current league leaders by eight points, with thirteen games left to play. The Bayer Leverkusen head coach did concede, however, that his team would “need an almost perfect performance” to be victorious against Vincent Kompany’s “dominant” side.

Last season’s unbeaten champions have only registered one loss this Bundesliga campaign. But seven draws have so far slowed their pursuit of a rejuvenated Bayern, with two coming in their last three fixtures. Leverkusen did get the better of their opponents in this season’s DFB-Pokal and the two shared the spoils at the Allianz Arena back in September; making it five games unbeaten for Alonso in his first five games against Bayern as a manager. Selected by Alonso to start this contest were Lukáš Hrádecký in goal and outfielders Nordi Mukiele, Jonathan Tah, Edmond Tapsoba, Piero Hincapié, Jeremie Frimpong, Granit Xhaka, Exequiel Palacios, Álex Grimaldo, Nathan Tella and Florian Wirtz.

Visitors Bayern have won seven successive matches in the league, and come into this game following a midweek victory over Celtic in their Champions League first-leg play-off. If the results weren’t evidence enough, Kompany’s pre-match words highlighted the current levels of confidence in Munich. Stating: “We’re in a spell where we don’t need to think too much about the opposition.” Chosen to make it eight Bundesliga wins in a row were Manuel Neuer, Konrad Laimer, Dayot Upamecano, Minjae Kim, Hiroki Ito – making his first competitive start for the club, Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Kingsley Coman, Jamal Musiala, Michael Olise, and Harry Kane.

Man-to-man versus man-to-man

In the opening period of the game, each teams’ out of possession approach took centre stage. Both Leverkusen and Bayern implemented player-oriented tactics when the other had the ball, specifically in buildup phases. Due to the man-to-man nature of the match – and more specifically, resulting backlines often being left with numerical parity – frequent attempts were made by either side to go over the opposition early on. 

However, neither side registered a shot on goal until post the 15th minute-mark, with effective defensive displays (across all phases) not conducive to productive attacking play. Whilst Bayern had over 60% possession during this spell, Leverkusen’s intensity and aggression without the ball leveled the equilibrium. The visitors’ attempts to play forward, and/or over, were disrupted, with passes lacking accuracy (passers under front pressure), the receivers unable to retain (receiver under back pressure), and second balls fiercely contested for. The away side’s main progression outlet was via Laimer at right-back, but this route was soon blocked off once upfield.

In practice, Leverkusen’s out of possession game plan worked as follows…

To combat Bayern’s typical 4-2-4 buildup shape, Leverkusen players locked onto a designated opponent. Tella and Wirtz split the responsibilities of Neuer, Upamecano, and Kim, with Frimpong and Grimaldo defending high so able to immediately engage fullbacks Laimer and Ito. Xhaka and Palacios marshalled central areas and were invariably in close proximity to counterparts Kimmich and Pavlovic. Mukiele and Hincapié stayed tight to Coman and Olise respectively, and center-backs Tah and Tapsoba tracked Kane and Musiala, even when dropping deep to provide overload and additional passing opportunities.

On the occasions Bayern did successfully progress into the hosts half, Leverkusen immediately collapsed from their 4-4-2 high defensive system into a compact (albeit still active) low block, to restrict chance creation possibilities. The actual ‘shape’ of this block is moot, as it fluctuated depending on the positions of the visiting players. But recovering quickly and together behind the ball was a constant, alongside central zone coverage.

The images below depict Leverkusen’s aforementioned out of possession approach. Starting with two examples of their player-oriented high press, and the third a visual demonstration of a situational low block.

2nd minute: Leverkusen player-oriented high press. Tah followed Musiala deep to disrupt Bayern’s buildup attempt.

5th minute: Leverkusen player-oriented high press. Tapsoba followed Kane deep but Bayern progressed possession after confusion between Grimaldo and Xhaka.

6th minute: continues the sequence from the 2nd image, showing how once Bayern progressed into the opposition half Leverkusen collapsed into a low block which involved all players quickly dropping behind the ball, with their defensive positioning influenced by the Bayern players. See how Frimpong and Mukiele switched opponents, with the latter clearing the attack.

Leverkusen raise the bar

When Leverkusen had possession they had to contend with Bayern’s own player-oriented 4-4-2 defensive system. However, the away side had a number of solutions to overcome this. Firstly, when Hrádecký had the ball at his feet, Tah and Tapsoba split wide to increase Bayern’s first-line’s (Kane and Musiala) pressing distances. Simultaneously, Mukiele advanced to position himself on the opposition backline to offer a right wing aerial target for long balls, and drag Coman deep creating more space to play out, if preferred. Hincapié occasionally offered a similar threat on the left flank.

Additionally, and a more effective ball progression tactic was Wirtz roaming deep; with his intelligent off-ball movement and timing resulting in receiving several line-breaking passes. The German playmaker’s fluid role ensured Upamecano and Kim were constantly alternating roles; with one jumping up whilst the other marked the equally mobile Tella, who like clockwork attacked the space either center-back vacated when attending to Wirtz. But whilst these tactics aided ball progression, eventual chance creation was owed to combinations and attacks on the Leverkusen left-side. After a quick and clever host freekick finally generated the first shot (blocked) in the 18th minute, Alonso’s side had a flurry of further attempts.

In the 21st minute, as shown below, Leverkusen had possession in the middle third. Whilst their base patiently exchanged passes in-front of a passive Bayern, off-ball Hincapié dropped towards the ball from his initial higher position, Grimaldo pulled wider from his initial inverted position, and Wirtz remained constantly on the move, occupying the spaces between the lines – importantly always blindside of Kimmich and a distance away from Upamecano who was trying to stay connected with his back four. This trio’s synchronised coordination first led to hesitation from Olise and Laimer, affording a pass down the line. Next, a pass inside to a free Wirtz whose first-touch evaded a reactionary Upamecano dive-in, leading to a saved toe-poke shot which finally rebounded to Frimpong who headed against the crossbar.

21st minute: Leverkusen left wing attacking sequence which led to a Wirtz shot and then subsequent Frimpong header hitting the bar

Less than five minutes later, another Leverkusen left-side attack led to another vibrating crossbar. This passage of play started from a second-ball win in the middle of the park, and a fast attacking transition. Hincapié was found on the left wing and galloped forward before whipping a pinpoint cross to Tella six-yards out whose volley struck the woodwork.

For the remainder of the first-half, Leverkusen remained on top. Their high press forced regains, or at worst turnovers – contributing to zero Bayern shots. The influential Wirtz continued to ooze class, even nearly outwitting Neuer from the halfway line in the 33rd minute. And the team’s rest defense structure, which typically involved at least three players in it’s base and double pivot ahead, always appeared cohesively oriented to the ball-side so able to immediately swarm upon ball loses through counterpresses.

Second-half dominance

After the break, not much changed. Leverkusen’s intensity without the ball, and in duels, continued to disrupt Bayern’s possession play. Kompany did alter his side’s pressing scheme with Olise relieved of tracking Hincapié, instead tasked to stay high with Tapsoba. This meant Kane stayed near Tah, Musiala focussed on Xhaka, and Kimmich and Grimaldo switched responsibilities of the fluid Grimaldo and Hincapié.

Although this change had little impact in the 50th minute when Leverkusen successfully played out and through their opponents to reach the final third. Or, the 56th minute (see visual below) when Grimaldo and Hincapié’s coordinated opposite movements helped win their side a freekick in Bayern territory. The resulting take led to a miscued Neuer punch that conceded a corner kick which concluded with a Tella reaction-shot dragged wide.

57th minute: Leverkusen buildup bypasses Bayern’s second-half pressing scheme

In the following ten minutes, Leverkusen’s dominance and pressure only intensified and in the 65th minute another host corner led to another Tella chance. This time the Nigerian international’s header was cleared off the line by Ito. As the clock struck 68 minutes, Kompany had seen enough and made four changes, but to little effect. The visitors did finally register a shot in the 73rd, albeit a dubious one, with Kane’s shot or cross intent unclear. A second, and final, attempt was created in the 81st when substitute Leon Goretzka headed well-wide.

Bayer Leverkusen – Bayern Munich xG Plot

The game appeared to be heading to non-eventful conclusion, based on the final ten minutes’ lack of goalscoring attempts. However, in the 91st minute, another Leverkusen left-side attack –  a blindside run in behind from an inverted Grimaldo – led to a cross into the box which late sub Amine Adli volleyed to force a parried save from Neurer. The rebound fell to Wirtz’s feet. After navigating his way through numerous attempted block tackles, the Leverkusen number 10 had a free shot on goal from six-yards but somehow side-footed the wrong-side of the post to deny his side a much deserved victory.

Takeaways

Post-match, the Bayern camp were unanimous in their assessment that Leverkusen were the better side and they were happy with the result. This was not only because they were thoroughly dominated but also because the point strengthened their grip on the Bundesliga trophy.

As for Leverkusen, Alonso cemented his place in German history by making it six games unbeaten against the Bavarian giants. However, this record offered no consolation considering his side should have closed the gap on the title-contenders. It turns out a ‘perfect performance’ was needed after all. The  2023/24 champions showed fight to defend their trophy at least, but in the end another draw was no reward.