The statistics of coach Kompany against Alonso speaks for Bayer, but the services only to a limited extent. The 1-1 league in Munich was one-way football towards the Leverkusen gate. 18 to 3 shots and 1.38 to 0.06 “Expected Goals” speak a clear language.
The Leverkusen victory in the DFB Cup was also happy. At Bayern, goalkeeper Harry Kane, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was missing after 17 minutes with a red card – and yet Bavaria was the team.
When everyone is talking about the youngest 0-0 in the league, in which Leverkusen was undoubtedly the better team, the performance in the previous games should not be forgotten.
Measured by this, the starting point is not only open, but Bayern have the better chances of progressing. Because they have two advantages.
Advantage number one: experience. Only a few players know the Champions League stage in the Leverkusen squad. Bayern, on the other hand, came to the semi -finals last year. The big framework does not matter to them, the potential final in their own stadium even motivates them.
Advantage number two: In Bayern, only Leroy Sané and Serge Gnabry threatens a yellow lock. Both players are currently dispensable. On the Leverkusen side, five players are affected with Aleix García, Robert Andrich, Jeremie Frimpong, Granit Xhaka and Florian Wirtz. Bayer Leverkusen would have a serious problem, especially in the event of a failure of Frimpong, Xhaka or Wirtz. And the clever Bavarians will permanently attack, irritate and provoke these actors so that they see yellow and are missing in the second leg.
These trump cards can make the difference in such a tight duel. That’s why Bavaria is coming.