The UEFA Champions League action goes into full swing. With the Round of 16 upon us, the draws have blessed fans with amazing matchups. One of them is Bayern München, which will face domestic rivals Leverkusen for a chance to get closer to that Champions League trophy. Both squads are in good form, but both have weaknesses that the opponent will seek to exploit.
With the first of the two legs set for March 5 in Munich, the hometown crowds will be hopeful to see Harry Kane or Jamal Musiala net a couple of goals. However, Xabi Alonso’s squad has shown resilience even when the stakes are at their highest, so it can be a cracker for fans of both sides and football betting enthusiasts, too. Let’s look at the odds for both teams in depth and compare the strengths and weaknesses of both Bayern and Leverkusen.
Bayern München vs Leverkusen – Kick-Off Time & Most Important Match Info
- UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 1st leg
- Date: March 5
- Location: Fußball Arena München, Munich (Capacity: 75 024)
- Kick-off time: 20:00 GMT
- Last Match H2H: February 15, 0:0 draw
- Players to watch: Harry Kane (Bayern), Florian Wirtz (Leverkusen), Jamal Musiala (Bayern), Patrick Schick (Leverkusen)
Bayern München vs Leverkusen – Form and Season Analysis
Both teams were hailed as the favourites to win the Bundesliga before the season started. As of early March, Bayern is leading the race with an 8-point advantage over Leverkusen, the defending champions.
On the other hand, Leverkusen automatically secured a spot in the Round of 16 by finishing 6th in the final standings of the League phase. The draw didn’t do them any favours, pairing Leverkusen up with domestic rivals and a perennial powerhouse – Bavarian giants Bayern.
Bayern München 2024/25 season
This season is all about redemption for the most successful club in German football. Last year, despite Harry Kane scoring 44 total goals, the Bavarians finished 3rd in the Bundesliga, exited the DFB-Pokal in the Second Round, lost the DFL-Supercup final after penalties, and just barely lost out on a UEFA Champions League final, succumbing to eventual champions Real Madrid.
Even though they were strong in the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League campaign, overall results were labelled as ‘unsatisfactory’ by management and fans. This season needs to be a different story. And it has been.
Bayern Munich is currently leading the Bundesliga with 61 points from 24 matches. Their record includes 19 wins and just 1 loss, with a staggering goal difference of +52 (72 scored, 20 conceded). Harry Kane is again the premier threat up front, bagging goals left and right (29 in all competitions). Jamal Musiala, Michael Olise and some flashes of greatness from both Leroy Sane and Alphonso Davies are more than enough for them to be considered top contenders to go all the way.
Defensively, Dayot Upamecano and Minjae Kim have stepped up, and we see both starters and bench players adjusting to the system Vincent Kompany has introduced. However, they face Leverkusen – a team Bayern hasn’t beaten since September 30, 2022. In order to progress forward, they will need to break this mini-curse.
Leverkusen 2024/25 season
Last year’s Bayer Leverkusen won more than just the Bundesliga. Multiple last-minute heroics from Xabi Alonso’s squad conquered the hearts of thousands of neutral football fans in Germany and elsewhere.
Repeating the successes of last year’s campaign is super difficult, but they have the personnel, the brains and the passion to surprise us once again. Leverkusen played second fiddle to Bayern for two decades, but since 2023/24, they have become a force to be reckoned with.
This year, ‘The Black and Reds’ comfortably occupy second place in the Bundesliga, with 53 points from 24 matches, including 15 wins, 1 loss, but 8 draws. They trail main rivals Bayern by 8 points but lead chasing teams by 11 points after Matchday 24, maintaining a safe cushion and an almost sure-fire ticket to next year’s Champions League.
Their 2024-25 Champions League campaign started great because they finished 6th and got to skip the First Round of the playoffs, advancing directly to the Round of 16. In addition, they won the DFL-Supercup by defeating Stuttgart in penalties and are through to the DFB-Pokal semis, where they’ll face a 3rd division opponent, so a trip to the final seems almost written in the stars.
Florian Wirtz (9 goals, 10 assists) has blossomed into one of the best German attacking players, Alex Grimaldo is showing excellent defensive skills while Patrick Shick and Victor Boniface are able to beat almost anything defences throw at them. With Granit Xhaka solidifying midfield positions, Xabi Alonso’s side can play disciplined, smart football, rarely outgunned. This test vs Bayern is going to be their toughest one yet. Fans have to hope they’re up for the challenge.
Bayern München vs Leverkusen | Champions League 1st Leg Prediction
The final odds might see Bayern as a favourite, with experts giving them the edge thanks to more big-time game experience.
However, Bayer plays well when they’re the underdog and are more than happy to come in with lesser expectations. They won a game in Allianz not so long ago (a 1:0 victory in DFB-Pokal on December 3), so don’t underestimate the defending Bundesliga champions just yet.
Bayern München vs Leverkusen | Form, H2H and Interesting Stats
Here are the forms of both squads and interesting stats
Bayern München Form and Interesting Stats
- February 12 – 2:1 vs Celtic (W)
- February 15 – 0:0 vs Bayer (D)
- February 18 – 1:1 vs Celtic (D)
- February 23 – 4:0 vs Eintracht (W)
- February 28 – 3:1 vs Stuttgart (W)
When playing at home, over the past 5 games, on average, Bayern scores 3 goals and concedes only 1. However, their shaky performance against Celtic doesn’t leave much room for confidence. Bavarians must be on their A-game to even consider beating Bayer.
Bayer Leverkusen Form and Interesting Stats
- February 5 – 3:2 vs FC Koln (W after penalties)
- February 8 – 0:0 vs Wolfsburg (D)
- February 18 – 1:1 vs Celtic (D)
- February 23 – 4:0 vs Eintracht (W)
- February 28 – 3:1 vs Stuttgart (W)
In the past 5 away games, Leverkusen has had its share of ups and downs. They score 1.8 goals on average, much less than their opponents but concede only 1, just as much as Bayern.
Conclusion
On March 5, make sure to turn your TV on and watch the clash of German titans. Kick-off is at 8 PM GMT, so it’s prime-time football. Keep track of the odds on our sportsbook and stay in the loop on UEFA Champions League battles by following our blog!
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