Champions League
Bavaria dominates Leverkusen – clear victory in the cracker game
Updated on 06.03.2025 – 8:05 a.m.Reading time: 4 min.
The Champions League duel between FC Bayern and Bayer Leverkusen developed into a spectacle. In the end, the Munich ones were allowed to cheer.
Of such a clear victory, only the greatest optimists among FC Bayern fans had dared to dream: With a clear 3-0, the German record champion won the round of 16 of the Champions League in the cracker duel with Bayer Leverkusen-and is thus with one leg in the next round.
Harry Kane had given Bayern in the lead early (9th). And even after that, the Munich team did not let the reigning German champions come into play. In the second half it got really wild.
Only Jamal Musiala (54.) met 2-0 after a mistake by Bayer goalkeeper Matěj Kovář, then Manuel Neuer had to be replaced injured (58.), Jonas Urbig came to his debut in the Bayern jersey-and this in this important game (more read here).
After Leverkusen’s Nordi Mukiele flown from the square with yellow-red (62nd), Harry Kane set the final point (75th, penalty) with his second goal. For Bavaria, the dream of the final lives in their own stadium. And Leverkusen? They will have to find explanations for this total failure. The second leg will take place in Leverkusen next Tuesday (from 9 p.m. in the live ticker at T-Online).
No waiting, no tactics, the kick -off started rapidly. After a duel with Jeremie Frimpong, Bayern defender Min-Jae Kim stayed on the lawn. After a good 180 seconds, the Bavarian attacker fell on the left foot of the South Korean, which was able to continue after a short treatment.
Bayer coach Xabi Alonso once again avoided a real center forward. Patrik Schick initially sat on the bench, next to Frimpong, Amine Adli formed the forefront, right behind Florian Wirtz, which was speculated about the future immediately before the kick -off. When asked whether Bayern’s sports director Eberl had already officially called him because of Wirtz, Leverkusen’s sports manager Simon Rolfes replied: “No, no, no.”
Both of them didn’t want to talk too much about the topic, on the square the players should let the players speak. And above all, Bayern, which had failed in the round of 16 in the round of 16 of the DFB Cup on the Alonso team in the round of 16 at the beginning of December (0-1). After a fine flank by Michael Olise, Kane balanced the ball into the goal of the guests. Kompany balled the fists on the sidelines, ex-boss Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeneß applauded with a smile in the stands.
For Kane it was also a goal with personal meaning: he was directly involved in 47 goals in the Champions League at the time – 37 goals and 10 templates. He was equated with Wayne Rooney. According to data provider Opta, only David Beckham posted more scorer points in the premier class (52) among all English.
This time the Bavarians did everything right against the Werkself. Kimmich, who had last had to pause in the Bundesliga, clearly dominated the midfield together with Leon Goretzka, Musiala was also much better in the game before the eyes of national coach Julian Nagelsmann and DFB sports director Rudi Völler, who also had to be treated shortly before the break. After a sharp corner of Kimmich, Musiala almost succeeded in 2-0 with header, but the ball crashed into the crossbar (22nd).