EILMELDUNG: Bayer 04 Leverkusens Cheftrainer Xabi Alonso hat zugestimmt, Florian Wirtz an…………. auszuleihen. Weiterlesen.

EILMELDUNG: Bayer 04 Leverkusens Cheftrainer Xabi Alonso hat zugestimmt, Florian Wirtz an…………. auszuleihen. Weiterlesen.

Xabi Alonso’s team, unbeaten in Germany last season, has fought hard for narrow victories in the German Supercup, German Cup, and their Bundesliga opener this season. In Leipzig, they will face a title contender for the first time. Last season, the two league matches between these teams were pivotal moments in Leverkusen’s breakthrough title campaign.

In the Bundesliga opener last year, Leverkusen secured a 3-2 victory against Marco Rose’s German Cup holders, sending an early warning to title favorites Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, who had finished the previous season at the top of the table, separated only by goal difference. In the return match in Leipzig in January, Leverkusen again won 3-2, coming from behind twice before scoring a stoppage-time winner.

That late victory was a precursor of what was to come from a team that has already scored 17 goals in the 88th minute or later in 2024. Both clubs enter the 2024-25 season in an unusual position, having retained most of their star players during the off-season. Leverkusen, who went unbeaten last season to win both the league and cup, only lost defender Odilon Kossounou.

Leipzig, often targeted by Europe’s elite at season’s end, lost forward Dani Olmo, but his replacement, Antonio Nusa, has adapted quickly, scoring two goals in two games. Leverkusen has not been impressive so far this season and struggled to a 1-0 win against fourth-division Carl Zeiss Jena on Wednesday. Midfield enforcer Robert Andrich called the win their “weakest performance” of the year, adding, “we didn’t take it seriously.”

“We made far too many mistakes.” Jonas Hofmann, who scored the only goal of the game, said the performance should be “a wake-up call to remind us that we need to do better.” Elsewhere, Union Berlin hosts St Pauli in Friday’s opener, marking the first top-division meeting between these two cult clubs. Bayern, who had to come from behind to beat Wolfsburg 3-2 on Sunday, will host Freiburg on Sunday.

Freiburg began life after the retirement of long-serving manager Christian Streich with a 3-1 win over last season’s runners-up Stuttgart in Saturday’s Bundesliga opener under new coach Julian Schuster. Dortmund will travel to Werder Bremen, while Stuttgart hosts Mainz.

One to watch: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

Although he didn’t score, Harry Kane was central to Bayern Munich’s success in Sunday’s 3-2 victory at Wolfsburg. The England captain initiated the attack that led to Jamal Musiala’s opener. After Bayern fell behind due to a quick double from Lovro Majer, Kane’s powerful header forced an own goal to level the scores, and he assisted Serge Gnabry’s late winner.

In an interview with the Bundesliga website on Wednesday, Kane said England’s loss in the Euro 2024 final has given him “even more motivation” to secure his first team title this season. “This club needs to be winning titles. I think there’s a real hunger and desire with the new coach (Vincent Kompany). We’re all eager to bring those trophies back.”

Key stats:

– 1 in 17: Freiburg has won just one of their last 17 games against Bayern Munich.
– 710: Sunday will mark Thomas Müller’s 710th game for Bayern, setting a club record.
– Three in six: In August 2022, Werder Bremen scored three goals in six minutes to steal a 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund, with the last goal coming in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

**Fixtures (1330 GMT unless stated):**

**Friday**
Union Berlin vs. St Pauli (1830)

**Saturday**
Werder Bremen vs. Borussia Dortmund, Holstein Kiel vs. Wolfsburg, Stuttgart vs. Mainz, Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Hoffenheim, Bochum vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach, Bayer Leverkusen vs. RB Leipzig (1630)

**Sunday**
Heidenheim vs. Augsburg, Bayern Munich vs. Freiburg (1530)