Leverkusen face Leipzig in early test of title defence

Defending Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen face the first true test of their title defence when they host RB Leipzig on Saturday. 

Unbeaten in Germany last season, Xabi Alonso’s side  have battled to narrow wins in the German Supercup, German Cup and in their Bundesliga opener this season. 

In Leipzig, they face a title rival for the first time. 

The two league fixtures between the clubs last season proved crucial milestones in Leverkusen’s breakthrough title. 

In the Bundesliga opener last year, Leverkusen won 3-2 against Marco Rose’s German Cup holders.

The victory was an early warning to title favourites Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, who had finished the previous season atop the table, separated only by goal difference.

In January’s return game in Leipzig, Leverkusen again won 3-2, coming from behind twice before scoring an injury-time winner. 

The late victory was a sign of things to come from a side who have scored 17 goals in the 88th minute or later so far in 2024.

Both clubs come into season 2024-25 in an unusual position, having held on to most of their star players during the off-season.

From the team which won an unbeaten league and cup double last season, Leverkusen lost only defender Odilon Kossounou. 

Leipzig, often raided by Europe’s elite at season’s end, lost forward Dani Olmo, but his replacement Antonio Nusa has fitted right in, with two goals in two games.

Leverkusen have not impressed so far this season and struggled to a 1-0 win at fourth-division Carl Zeiss Jena on Wednesday. 

Midfield enforcer Robert Andrich said the win was their “weakest performance” of the year, saying “we didn’t take it seriously.”

“We made far too many mistakes.”

Jonas Hofmann, who scored the game’s only goal, said the display should be “a warning shot to show all of us that our performance didn’t cut it.”

Elsewhere, Union Berlin host St Pauli in Friday’s opener, the first top-division clash between the two cult sides. 

Bayern — who needed to come from behind to beat Wolfsburg 3-2 on Sunday — host Freiburg on Sunday.

Freiburg made a dream start to life after the retirement of long-serving manager Christian Streich, beating last season’s runners-up Stuttgart 3-1 in Saturday’s Bundesliga opener under new boss Julian Schuster.

Dortmund travel to Werder Bremen, while Stuttgart host Mainz. 

One to watch: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

He may not have scored, but Harry Kane was the foundation of everything Bayern Munich did well in Sunday’s 3-2 win at Wolfsburg. 

The England captain launched an attack down the right for Jamal Musiala’s opener. 

When Bayern found themselves behind after a quick-fire Lovro Majer double, Kane’s powerful header created an own goal to level the scores and he set up Serge Gnabry’s winner in the final stages. 

Speaking with the Bundesliga website on Wednesday, Kane said England’s loss in the Euro 2024 final gave him “even more motivation” to break through for the first team title of his career this season. 

“This club need to be winning titles. I think there’s a real hunger and desire with the new coach (Vincent Kompany). We’re all eager to get those trophies back.”

Key stats

1 in 17 – Freiburg have won just one of their past 17 games against Bayern Munich. 

710 – Sunday will be Thomas Mueller’s 710th game for Bayern, a club record.

Three in six – In August 2022, Werder Bremen scored three goals in six minutes to snatch a 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund, with the last goal coming in the fifth minute of stoppage time.