By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen threw everything they had at FC Bayern München last weekend, but the record champions remained resolute and dug in to earn an important point, maintaining their advantage at the top of the Bundesliga table.
It doesn’t get any easier for the league leaders though, who now welcome third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt to the Allianz Arena. For Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso’s men travel to Holstein Kiel, who are fighting to leapfrog VfL Bochum and 1. FC Heidenheim out of the relegation places.
The Eagles consolidated third place in the table with an impressive 3-1 win at home to Kiel last time out, with that victory ending a run of three top flight draws in succession for Dino Toppmöller’s men. Adjusting to life after Omar Marmoush – the super-talented striker who recently transferred to English side Manchester City – was always likely to take a little time for the men from “Mainhatten”, but Eintracht have talent in abundance and are already beginning to pick up where they left off following the departure of their Egyptian talisman.
The likes of Hugo Ekitiké (12 goals, three assists), Can Uzun (four goals and an assist) and Nathaniel Brown (seven goal involvements) are proving that youth can give you wings, and the Eagles will be fearless as they take off for Bavaria this weekend. A chance to test the leaders, who boast the Bundesliga’s top scorer in Harry Kane and the world-renowned Jamal Musiala – fresh from signing a contract extension in Munich – is a challenge Frankfurt’s young stars will relish.
Leverkusen will also be eager to begin their next game away at Kiel having fallen just short against Bayern last Saturday. The Spanish tactician told the Bundesliga’s microphones that, “We did almost everything to win that game [and] we just missed the accuracy in the last shot.” The 43-year-old added, “We had two efforts that hit the bar and then the big last chance [at the end of the game].” Should similarly big chances arrive at the Holstein-Stadion this week, the Werkself will know they must take them against the Bundesliga’s basement side. At this
stage, anything other than a win will likely loosen Leverkusen’s grip on their title that much more.
Speaking of teams requiring three big points, Borussia Dortmund could ideally do with a victory to help with new coach Niko Kovač’s transition into the Black-and-Yellow hot seat. A former title winner with Bayern, Kovač enjoyed the ideal start to life at BVB in the UEFA Champions League, but the former Croatia boss awaits his
first points back in the Bundesliga after overseeing back-to-back losses against VfB Stuttgart and relegation strugglers VfL Bochum 1848. Dortmund host another side who recently changed their coach in 1. FC Union Berlin this weekend, and the wily Steffen Baumgart will no doubt have the capital club set-up to try and bring more frustration to Die Schwarzgelben’s doors.
Elsewhere, a fascinating battle for European qualification is being fought, with teams from fourth place down to 10th separated by a mere seven points. RB Leipzig lead that mini-pack, and Die Roten Bullen know that finding better consistency in terms of results is a must if they are to stay ahead of the rest in the push for a top-four finish. On Sunday, Marco Rose’s side meet an 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 outfit determined to keep their heads above automatic relegation waters.
Should Leipzig falter, the likes of SC Freiburg (who host SV Werder Bremen), 1. FSV Mainz 05 (who meet FC St. Pauli), Stuttgart (who are at TSG Hoffenheim) and eighth-placed Borussia Mönchengladbach (who play FC Augsburg) are all ready to apply the pressure. The in-form VfL Wolfsburg will also be taking note, with the Wolves hosting Bochum, who themselves could climb out of the automatic relegation zone and edge closer to what once looked like improbable salvation.