The absence of a typical number nine profile has been an issue for Bayern, evidenced by the fact that the serial Bundesliga winners failed to score more than a goal in three of their last four league games.
Bayern Munich
The international break came at an ideal time for Bayern Munich and perhaps more so for their manager, Julian Nagelsmann, as the ten-time consecutive Bundesliga champions sit five points off the title pace following a four-game winless league run. With former Borussia Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel now free on the market, rumours about Nagelsmann’s immediate future ramped up following their latest 1-0 defeat in the Bavarian derby with Augsburg. This result brought to an end their 87-game run of scoring in Bundesliga games. The absence of a typical number nine profile has been an issue for Bayern, evidenced by the fact that the serial Bundesliga winners failed to score more than a goal in three of their last four league games.
Bayern’s sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic vowed that his side will show a “different face” after the break. With Kingsley Coman returning from injury, Nagelsmann may opt to try him out up top in a bid to stop their relative lull in form.
Bayer Leverkusen
Another side not performing up to their usual high standards are opponents Bayer Leverkusen who could only draw 1-1 against Werder Bremen last time out, making it one league win in seven for Gerardo Seoane’s men. That represents Leverkusen’s worst start to a Bundesliga season since the turn of the century and is perhaps being exacerbated by their midweek European excursions. There are positives ahead of this clash, though, as not only have the visitors enjoyed the chance to regroup over the international break, but they also boast of having picked up four points away from Bayern Munich across the last three visits – a total not bettered by any other side during that time. That’s actually as many points as they accrued in the last 15 H2H trips, adding weight to the argument that they’re becoming somewhat of a ‘bogey team’ for their dominant opponents.
Possible stopgap Bayern striker Coman has more bookings (three) than goals across his personal meetings with Leverkusen. As for Leverkusen, Kerem Demirbay enjoyed a rest over the international break and scored the opener in each of their last three Bundesliga matches. Bayern Munich are enduring their worst winless run of Bundesliga games since a club-record seven games ending back in 2002.