It's a top-of-the-table clash to round off the year! In the last game before the winter break, FC Bayern travel to league leaders Bayer 04 Leverkusen knowing a win will ensure they spend the winter in first place in the Bundesliga. fcbayern.com has compiled a list of the facts, figures and stats that speak for the record champions ahead of the game against the Werkself, and the records Hansi Flick's team can still achieve:
1. Bayern's best year in professional football
2020 has not been an easy year, but FC Bayern have mastered it impressively: Of 47 competitive matches in the past twelve months, FCB have lost only one (a 4-1 defeat at Hoffenheim on Matchday 2) - fewer than they've ever done in a calendar year since gaining promotion to the Bundesliga in 1965. If the Bavarians were to win the weekend's standout fixture in Leverkusen, the win rate in 2020 would be 88 percent! That would equal FCB's all-time best annual record of 2013.
2. A new situation
For the seventh time, both teams will meet in the matchday's outstanding fixture featuring first against second - but for the first time, the Werkself are ahead of Bayern.
3. A clash of equals in Leverkusen
With 48 wins from 82 meetings, FC Bayern clearly lead the overall stats against Leverkusen. At the BayArena, however, the Werkself have recently managed to even up the score somewhat. Leverkusen have lost only three of their last eleven Bundesliga home games against FC Bayern, and since the beginning of 2010, no other home team has scored in as many Bundesliga clashes against the record champions.
4. Bayern always finish the year strongly
Does anyone still remember FC Bayern's 3-2 defeat at Borussia Mönchengladbach on 11 December 1984? Admittedly, it was a long time ago! Since that defeat a good 36 years ago, the record champions have not lost in the last Bundesliga match of the year! FCB have won all of their past eight games immediately before Christmas - with a goal difference of 17:3. Leverkusen have not lost their last Bundesliga game of the calendar year since 2013.
5. Bayern can do comebacks
Bayern's most recent game against Wolfsburg was their sixth in a row in which they went 1-0 behind - but they still managed to win all six matches. Hence FCB are the first team in Bundesliga history to get a result in six consecutive games despite conceding first. Moreover, no other team this season have scored as many points after falling behind as Bayern (12).
6. The Best FIFA Men's Player in outstanding form
After his recent brace against Wolfsburg, the newly-crowned Best FIFA Men's Player Robert Lewandowski has already notched up 15 goals after the first twelve matchdays of this Bundesliga season. In the past 47 seasons in Germany's top flight, only the Pole himself has surpassed that goal tally at this point in the season: in the previous campaign, it was no less than 16 goals after twelve games.
7. Will Bayern demolish another run?
After the men from Munich's 2-1 win over previously undefeated VfL Wolfsburg, Leverkusen are the only remaining undefeated Bundesliga team in 2020/21, so now it's up to Bayern to end another run.
A great honour for Robert Lewandowski: The Pole was voted The Best FIFA Men's Player on Thursday evening.
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