Bayern go to Leverkusen aiming to maintain form and Bundesliga lead

Two in-form teams meet on Sunday as FC Bayern go to Bayer Leverkusen looking to cement their position at the top of the Bundesliga table (kick-off at 17:30 CET, coverage on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app with our live text and free web radio). Find out how things are shaping up ahead of the clash in our preview.

State of play for Bayern

We’re approaching the business end of the season in all three competitions. Bayern host Borussia Dortmund on 1 April in the first game back from the international break, but first they have to take on Leverkusen. Dortmund are currently two points behind but could be top by the time FCB take to the field at the BayArena, with BVB hosting Köln on Saturday evening. But the action doesn’t stop even after Der Klassiker. A double-header against Freiburg follows in the DFB Cup and Bundesliga before Julian Nagelsmann and his team go to England for their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Manchester City. It means a win in Leverkusen is essential if the team want to maintain their good form ahead of that busy spell.

“We’re coming into the decisive weeks,” claimed board member for sport Hasan Salihamidzic. “We want to start off well against Leverkusen. They’re a tough opponent.“ A fact that bodes well for the near future is that FCB have lost just one of their last 25 competitive fixtures, while it’s eight wins in the last nine.

Hear what Nagelsmann had to say at his pre-match press conference on Friday:

Opponents Bayer Leverkusen

Xabi Alonso made 117 competitive appearances as a player for Bayern, and now he’s the man behind Leverkusen’s upswing in form as their coach. The Werkself are currently unbeaten in six competitive matches, most recently winning 2-0 against Ferencvaros in Budapest on Thursday to advance to the Europa League quarter-finals. They don’t have long to prepare for the Bayern game, having only returned to Germany on Friday. “We know about their quality and they’re having a good spell. But we’re also in good form and will give our best,” Alonso said ahead of his first encounter with Bayern as a coach.

Some facts ahead of Sunday’s game:

Player update

Nagelsmann is again without striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting this weekend. “Choupo misses out. His back has tightened up, meaning he can’t play.” Apart from that, the 35-year-old is spoilt for choice, with long-term absentees Lucas Hernandez and Manuel Neuer the only other players still sidelined.

Leverkusen are waiting on the fitness of Patrik Schick, Karim Bellarabi and Nadiem Amiri after they missed the Ferencvaros second leg.

What the coaches say