Alonso and Bayer Leverkusen want to spoil Bayern Munich’s Oktoberfest party atmosphere

DÜSSELDORF, Germany (AP) — Is there a better way to do it? Bayern Munich to increase the Oktoberfest atmosphere rather than to humiliate the ruler Bundesliga Champion? And what better way to do it Bayer Leverkusen to spoil the party than to beat Bayern again?

With the most famous in the world Beer festival In full swing, Vincent Kompany’s Bayern welcomes Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen in a game that could shape the entire German league season.

Bayern’s players, including Harry Kane, arrived at Oktoberfest on Sunday in traditional lederhosen outfits and had plenty to celebrate after scoring 20 goals, including one, in their last three games 5-0 demolition the toothless Werder Bremen the day before.

This game pits two young coaches who were great players in their own right. Alonso showed he is one of Europe’s top coaches by leading Leverkusen to an impressive unbeaten domestic league and cup double last season.

The Bayern job is a chance for Kompany, whose Burnley team was relegated from the English Premier League last season, to show that he is also at home at this level.

“We know how much potential Bayern Munich has, even now with the new coach Kompany, who brings in new ideas,” Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka told Sky broadcaster on Wednesday.

“We have of course analyzed their game and so far everything seems to be going well. Almost every shot was a goal for Bayern. They are very strong offensively and don’t concede many goals.”

After conceding a two-goal deficit, Leverkusen is back in the phase of its dramatic last-minute goals beat Wolfsburg 4:3. These miraculous recoveries thrilled the Leverkusen fans – although a 2:3 defeat against Leipzig certainly not, and the defensive errors that necessitate these recoveries remain a concern.

The last meeting between these teams was a different kind of party event, namely the Rhenish carnival, where the costumed Leverkusen fans watched their team swept Bayern aside 3-0 in February.

It was a turning point in last season’s title race, and not just in terms of the points table. Bayern weren’t just outplayed. His then coach Thomas Tuchel was overtaken by Alonso’s tactical changes. From then on, the momentum was exclusively Leverkusen’s.

Alonso’s first priority on Saturday will likely be to silence Kane. The England captain has scored five goals and four assists in four Bundesliga games. Across all competitions for club and country in the 2024-25 season, Kane has already scored an incredible 12 goals.

For Kompany, Bayern’s occasionally shaky defense could be a cause for concern. Bayern score a lot of goals, but have yet to play against a team that finished higher than eighth in the Bundesliga last season.

Kane expressed concerns After conceding two weak goals against Dinamo Zagreb, even though it was a 9-2 win, Bayern could be “punished for it” against top teams. The response against Bremen in the following game was much more encouraging. Bremen had no chance the entire game.

Borussia Dortmund is also suffering from a 5-1 defeat against Stuttgart this weekend as it hosts local rivals Bochum on Friday. Stuttgart visits Wolfsburg on Saturday, Leipzig welcomes Augsburg.

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