A Champions League Klassiker: Bayern and Leverkusen Collide in a Long-Awaited Bundesliga Showdown

For the first time in 12 years, the Champions League features an all-Bundesliga clash, as Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen square off in the first leg of their Round of 16 showdown. Set to take place at the Allianz Arena on March 6 at 4:00 AM Beijing time, this fixture pits the two strongest teams in German football this season against each other.

With Bayern leading the Bundesliga and Leverkusen trailing by just eight points, the battle for domestic supremacy has now spilled onto the European stage. Adding another layer of intrigue, Leverkusen’s head coach Xabi Alonso returns to face his former club, where he won three Bundesliga titles as a player.

With Champions League survival on the line, this German heavyweight duel promises to be a clash of tactical brilliance, attacking firepower, and deep familiarity between the two sides.

Bayern vs. Leverkusen: A Bundesliga Rivalry with a European Twist

While these two clubs are regular adversaries in domestic competition, their paths have never crossed in European football—until now.

• Bayern and Leverkusen have faced off 92 times in the Bundesliga
  • Bayern has dominated the head-to-head record with 52 wins, 20 draws, and 20 losses
  • In home matches, Bayern has an even greater advantage: 33 wins, 9 draws, and just 4 losses
• This is only the seventh all-Bundesliga matchup in Champions League history, and Bayern has been involved in every single one.
• The last such meeting came in the 2013 Champions League final, where Bayern defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-1 to claim the European crown.

On the other hand, Leverkusen’s last European clash with a fellow Bundesliga team occurred in the 2007-08 UEFA Cup Round of 16, when they edged Hamburg on away goals after a 3-3 aggregate draw.

Xabi Alonso: A Familiar Face Returns to Bavaria

This tie also carries a deeply personal narrative for Xabi Alonso, who returns to Munich not as a midfield maestro, but as the tactical mastermind behind Leverkusen’s resurgence.

During his time at Bayern (2014-2017), Alonso won three consecutive Bundesliga titles and played alongside several members of the current squad, including Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, and Joshua Kimmich.

Since transitioning into management, Alonso has transformed Leverkusen into a title-challenging force, and this Champions League test against his former club is arguably the biggest moment of his coaching career so far.

The connections between these two teams go beyond Alonso:

• Germany teammates: Kimmich, Sané, Gnabry, Musiala, and Pavlović (Bayern) vs. Tah, Wirtz, and Andrich (Leverkusen).
• Former clubmates: Laimer, Upamecano, and Mukiele (Bayern) all played together at RB Leipzig.

This familiarity will add another layer of intricate tactical battles, as both teams know each other’s strengths and weaknesses inside out.

Kane vs. Wirtz: The Battle of Superstars

On a team level, Bayern and Leverkusen match up incredibly well, but when it comes to individual brilliance, two names stand out: Harry Kane and Florian Wirtz.

• Harry Kane (31 years old) – Bayern’s talisman and goal machine

  • Champions League: 9 matches, 7 goals, 1 assist
  • All competitions: 33 matches, 29 goals, 10 assists
  • Market value: €90 million
  • Only one goal away from reaching 30 goals this season

• Florian Wirtz (20 years old) – Leverkusen’s creative genius and rising star

  • Champions League: 8 matches, 6 goals, 1 assist
  • Bundesliga: 24 matches, 9 goals, 11 assists
  • All competitions: 15 goals, 13 assists
  • Market value: €140 million
  • Plays as an attacking midfielder in multiple systems (4-2-3-1, 3-4-2-1, 3-5-2)

Wirtz is the conductor of Leverkusen’s attack, dictating play with his vision, dribbling, and passing range. Kane, meanwhile, is Bayern’s ultimate finisher, capable of scoring from anywhere and leading the line with experience and intelligence.

This duel of the superstars could very well decide the outcome of the tie.

A Near-Perfect Statistical Matchup

Despite Bayern’s historical dominance, Leverkusen has been sensational this season, making this one of the most evenly matched Champions League ties in recent years.

• Bayern Munich:

  • 1st place in the Bundesliga
  • 9 wins, 1 draw in their last 10 Bundesliga matches (30 goals scored, 6 conceded)
  • Unbeaten at home in 10 straight Bundesliga games, scoring at least 3 goals in each
  • The only team to stop them from winning? Leverkusen (0-0 draw)

• Bayer Leverkusen:

  • 2nd place in the Bundesliga, trailing Bayern by 8 points
  • Unbeaten in their last 22 Bundesliga matches
  • Set a new Bundesliga record with 29 consecutive away games without defeat

These stats highlight just how little separates these two teams, and Opta’s 10,000-match simulation confirms the razor-thin margins:

• Bayern’s probability of advancing: 53%
• Leverkusen’s probability of advancing: 47%

A mere 6% difference underscores just how unpredictable this tie could be.

Predicted Lineups

Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1):

• GK: Manuel Neuer
• DF: Konrad Laimer, Dayot Upamecano, Kim Min-jae, Alphonso Davies
• MF: Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka
• AM: Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sané
• FW: Harry Kane

Bayer Leverkusen (4-2-3-1):

• GK: Matěj Kovář
• DF: Nordi Mukiele, Jonathan Tah, Edmond Tapsoba, Piero Hincapié
• MF: Granit Xhaka, Exequiel Palacios
• AM: Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, Alejandro Grimaldo
• FW: Victor Boniface

A Clash of Titans: Who Will Prevail?

With Bayern’s attacking firepower at home and Leverkusen’s remarkable resilience on the road, this first leg is destined to be a fierce tactical battle.

For Bayern, a strong first-leg result is crucial, as Leverkusen’s unbeaten away streak makes them an incredibly difficult opponent to break down. Meanwhile, for Leverkusen, a draw or even a narrow defeat with an away goal would be a solid result, keeping their hopes alive for the return leg.

Xabi Alonso vs. Bayern. Kane vs. Wirtz. The Bundesliga’s two biggest forces colliding on the European stage.

This is more than just a Champions League knockout tie—this is German football at its finest.