Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich face each other this Saturday in Matchday 22 of the Bundesliga. It's a tit-for-tat battle between Germany's two top teams right now, a game that can revive the title race or confirm Bayern's dominance this season.
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Bayern arrives at the game on a high, leading with 54 points following an dominating series of seven straight wins. Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen, however, retains the hope of redemption but trails eight points behind and desperately needs to win in order to breathe new life into its title dreams.
Alonso's streak of no losses to Bayern
Since taking over at Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso has never lost a game against Bayern. With three wins and two draws, his record against Bayern might give his team a psychological boost ahead of the game.
The peak of this winning streak was last year's 3-0 victory, which not only stunned Bayern but also put Leverkusen firmly in the title race. And Alonso did not rest on his laurels. He was also responsible for Bayern's exit from this season's DFB Pokal, making the most of Manuel Neuer's red card to secure a 1-0 win, thanks to a perfectly timed goal from Nathan Tella.
If anyone knows how to dismantle Bayern's machine, it's Xabi Alonso.
Injuries and comeback that can impact the game
Both teams have key players missing. Leverkusen are missing Terrier and Belocian, and Hermoso, who is still a doubt. Bayern are missing Davies, Palhinha, and Peretz.
But Leverkusen gets a big boost with Alejandro Grimaldo back from suspension and ready to reclaim his spot at left-back. Bayern had a world of problems last season dealing with the Spanish international, who scored against them twice, both at home and away. He could be game-breaking.
Another wildcard player is Amine Adli, who is on the verge of a comeback from a broken leg. Though he is not match-fit, his eagerness to get back to the field could turn him into a game-changer off the bench.
Patrik Schick vs. Harry Kane
If the game eventually turns into a contest of individual brilliance, keep an eye out for Patrik Schick and Harry Kane. The Czech striker is performing of a top-quality level, with 14 goals at a best Bundesliga scoring rate of a goal every 60 minutes.
Meanwhile, Harry Kane is still the league's biggest name, leading the goal charts with 21 goals, scoring at a rate of one every 73 minutes.
Both players being at the peak of their powers, even the slightest of defensive mistakes could be fatal.
The table and a statistic that favors Bayern
The figures don't deceive: never in the history of Bundesliga has any team lost the title after having had this sort of comfort lead at this stage. With 54 points from 21 matches, Vincent Kompany's Bayern has a record which was only eclipsed three times in the history of the league.
Statistically, Bayern already has one hand on the trophy. But soccer is not won by statistics. Leverkusen has the right boss, a good head-to-head record, and a team that has already shown the ability to beat Bayern.