Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen
The Bundesliga returns from the first international break of the season and the game between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen is going to be the curtain-raiser for Matchday 8.
Die Bayern and Die Werkself come into this match searching for a turnaround since neither have had good Bundesliga 2022 results in these past few weeks.
The defending champions have fallen to the fifth seed and are creeping closer to crisis mode since they are fresh from a tough 1-0 loss at the hands of Augsburg.
Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen have one foot in the relegation mire at 15th place as they have five points with only one win thus far this term.
But with so much quality out on the pitch, it’s only a matter of time before these two teams reach their top form and this match might be the turning point.
Talking Points
Bayern Munich have a Sadio Mane conundrum
Sadio Mane was off to a brisk start in his Bundesliga career when he notched three goals in his first three league matches, but his form has dropped off and it’s not a coincidence that Die Bayern have struggled since then.
Several pundits have questioned Julian Nagelsmann’s tactical nous, saying that he’s not playing Mane at his best position since he operated primarily at the wings during his time with Liverpool where he rose to fame.
Mane was even benched during their clash against VfB Stuttgart in favour of Mathys Tel and Jamal Musiala, and recent reports suggest that Die Bayern are keen on adding a new striker in 2023.
The good thing about Bayern Munich, though, is that their collective firepower is unrivalled across the Bundesliga so it’s just a matter of how Julian Nagelsmann will optimise his lineups.
On the other hand, it would also help if Manuel Neuer and Leon Goretzka return soon after testing positive for COVID-19 last week.
Bayer Leverkusen hopeful to have a healthier squad
The absences of Florian Wirtz, Karim Bellarabi, and Amine Adli are the main reasons why Bayer Leverkusen have lost their magic from last season where they finished third. Wirtz and Bellarabi are sidelined because of their knee injuries, while Adli has a fractured collarbone.
Wirtz was one of their top creative outlets last season with seven goals and 10 assists, while Bellarabi and Adli combined for six goals and five assists.
A by-product of their absences is Patrik Schick’s dip in form since he’s the main beneficiary of their solid wing play. The Czech poacher has just struck twice thus far this term.
Die Werkself reacted to their growing injury list by signing Callum Hudson-Odoi on a season-long loan last August, hoping to give Gerardo Seoane more attacking options. However, he hasn’t opened his scoring account yet.
If Bayer Leverkusen are to win this game, it’ll have to be on the defencive end where they’re more settled. Jeremie Frimpong, Jonathan Tah, Piero Hincapie, and Edmond Tapsoba will have their hands full against the reigning champions.
History
All signs point to a Bayern Munich victory especially if you’ll examine their head-to-heads with Bayer Leverkusen.
At home, Bayern Munich have scored in each of their last 32 league matches against Bayer Leverkusen, which is their second-longest scoring run only behind Hamburger SV (39 games since 1979).
The last time Die Bayern didn’t score at home against Die Werkself was in October 1989 where the latter won 1-0.
Bayern Munich are currently on a four-game winless run in the league for the first time since a run between November 2001 and January 2002. A return of 12 points from seven games also represents their worst Bundesliga start in 12 years.
Bayer Leverkusen have collected four points from their last three league games at the Allianz Arena (W1, D1, L1), which is as many points as they had in their last 15 visits prior.
Their previous league meeting took place last March where it was honours even at 1-1. In the prior fixture, though, Bayern Munich dismantled Bayer Leverkusen with a 5-1 tally.
Betting Tip
Bayern Munich are being favoured by the SBOTOP Bundesliga 2022 odds. They are priced at 1.32 to win, while Bayer Leverkusen are the underdogs at 7.40 and a draw is at 5.60 in the 1X2 market.
Bayer Leverkusen have the capability to give Bayern Munich problems, but it’s hard to see them win on the road despite the hosts’ inconsistencies lately.
Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.52 is one bet worth considering, with Bayern Munich likely to score more en route to taking all three points.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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