Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich dropped points for the first time this season after they were held to a 1-1 draw against reigning Bundesliga champions, Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen.
A very tactical affair with limited chances, here’s three things we learned.
Aleksandar Pavlovic is the future of Bayern Munich’s midfield
The career trajectory of Aleksandar Pavlovic has come out of nowhere. The 20-year-old made his Bundesliga debut less than a year ago, and how he’s keeping Leon Goretzka and João Palhinha out of Bayern’s starting eleven. Starting alongside compatriot Joshua Kimmich, the duo have an excellent understanding on the pitch, and there’s no doubting that Pavlovic is not only the future of Bayern Munich’s midfield, but also the German national team.
Pavlovic registered 100 touches against Bayer Leverkusen, completed 82 of his 91 passes and had a 100 percent tackle win rate (2/2). His ferocious equaliser registered a speed of 101.78 km/h, and the technique to strike the ball on the half-volley from 30 yards was nothing short of sensational. Bayern Munich have been longing for an academy product to succeed at the highest level, and there’s no doubt that Pavlovic will do just that.
Bundesliga Topspiel lives up to its pre-match hype
Although few chances at either end, Bayern Munich versus Bayer Leverkusen certainly lived up to its hype, despite the DFL dubbing this game ‘Goaltoberfest’. A high intensity game from the off, Dayot Upamecano and Xabi Alonso were branded yellow cards from Felix Zwayer. Jamal Musiala excelled, weaving his way through Bayer’s defence, and both Michael Olise and Serge Gnabry shone in the final third.
Bayern Munich dominated the game with 69 percent possession and 18 shots, but Lukas Hradecky was rarely brought into action, and neither was Manuel Neuer, apart from to deny Amine Adli a goal in the closing stages. A combined xG of 1.30 between the two teams, both defended well and kept opposition chances to a minimum, but it truly was an interesting tactical battle.
Will Xabi Alonso be disappointed?
That said, despite a point at the Allianz Arena, Xabi Alonso will likely be disappointed with his team’s performance. Although a strong defensively display, keeping Harry Kane’s impact to a minimum, the Spaniard will be disappointed with their play in the final third. Although they didn’t see much of the ball, Victor Boniface and Florian Wirtz were unable to impact the game as Alonso may have liked.
