Bayer Leverkusen hit Bayern Munich hard to extend gap at top

Match: 3-0

The first leg of the 2023-2024 Bundesliga season took place this Saturday afternoon at the BayArena. On the 21st day of the championship, Xabi Alonso’s men struck hard, defeating Bayern Munich (3-0). Fully in control, WorkSelf broke open as it has performed very well since last August.

Facing the leaders, who are now five points ahead of their runners-up, Bayern, like so many teams this season, were beaten in all areas of the game. The excellence of this Leverkusen team is still as surprising as ever. Deprived of five starters, the Basque technicians fielded a revamped eleven with strong options: Emin Adli was the frontrunner to gain depth, Nathan Tella with Florian Wirtz in attacking support while he was mostly located on the Pistons from the start. the season

From the start, the locals set their pace in this meeting and Josip Stanisic’s opener rewarded this good start (18th). The defender, on loan from Bayern, took advantage of the opposition’s indifference to take a cross from Robert Andrich at the far post. After returning from the locker room, the hug did not tighten and Alejandro Grimaldo once again punished the mistakes of the opposing defense after a remarkable collective action (50th).

Byrne, unable to rebel, made practically nothing offensive (only 1 shot on target). To top it off, Jeremy Frimpong blew the stadium away with a shot from an impossible angle after a counter-attack while Manuel Neuer was at the forefront of an attempt to reduce the score (90th + 5).

The 30,000 supporters in attendance proudly celebrated this success with their players. Back at the start, Xabi Alonso went to get all his staff to join the party. This moment strongly resembles the title celebration. In the lead from Day 3 (apart from twice), Bayer dominates the Bundesliga but the club still has 13 games left to definitively shake off the annoying “Wizekusen” label that clings to it.

Player: Stanisik emerges from the forest

Having been loaned out by Bayern Munich to Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the summer transfer window, the defender probably did not expect to experience such a match. At times this season, overshadowed by his more regular players, the Croatian has taken advantage of the absence of Odilon Kosonou, the usual holder of the post at CAN with the Ivory Coast, to appear to be confronting his boss. Apart from the opener (18th), the 23-year-old was everywhere. Unflappable defensively and valuable offensively, Stanisic will remember this February 10.