Attacking power when top two meet
Thu, 14/10/2021, 10:00
7 facts and figures on the top-of-the-table clash at Bayer Leverkusen
League leaders Bayern are away at second-placed Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday in a top-of-the-table Bundesliga clash. Find out in our stats and facts why you should be excited for an attacking spectacle and why the men from Munich should be confident going into the Matchday 8 encounter.
1. Bayern enjoy the big games
A Robert Lewandowski brace saw Bayern prevail 2-1 in the last top-of-the-table clash in Leverkusen.
It’s the first time this season that first has faced second in the Bundesliga. The last eight top-of-the-table meetings in the league have seen the side in first lose just once, and that was Leverkusen in their last home game against Bayern, with the record champions coming out 2-1 winners in December 2020. It meant FCB extended their good record in matches between first and second to 15 games unbeaten (W11, D4).
2. Best attacks face off
Leverkusen (20 goals) and Bayern (24) have the Bundesliga’s best attacks this season. FCB are on a run of 82 competitive matches, as well as 37 away league games, where they have scored at least once. Both are records in German professional football. The game on Sunday will also see the league’s best provider in Florian Wirtz (five assists) take on its top goalscorer Robert Lewandowski (seven goals, same as Erling Haaland).
3. FCB ahead in head-to-head
Germany’s most successful club has won the last three Bundesliga encounters with Leverkusen, and remain well ahead in the overall head-to-head record. FCB have won 50 of the 84 top-flight meetings, with Die Werkself claiming 18 for themselves (D16).
4. Lewandowski on the verge of Naldo
Lewandowski made his 357th Bundesliga appearance at the start of October. He can now climb the standings for non-German players away at Leverkusen.
Lewandowski is in line to make his 358th Bundesliga appearance this weekend, which would see him go level with Naldo for the second most games by a non-German in the league. Only Bayern legend Claudio Pizarro (490) remains ahead of the Polish and Brazilian pair.
5. Choupo-Moting enjoys Leverkusen
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is in good form at the moment and has three goals in his last four competitive outings. A look at the stats suggests he could extend that run against Leverkusen, given he’s scored six times in 13 Bundesliga matches against them. The only other team he’s scored as often against in the division is Wolfsburg.
Choupo-Moting scored from the bench again against Dynamo Kyiv.
6. A fair top-of-the-table game
Julian Nagelsmann’s side have committed the fewest fouls of any team in the Bundesliga this season (59). Next in that regard is Leverkusen with 64. But while FCB have also received the fewest yellow cards (5), Die Werkself have been a bit rougher and already picked up 18 cautions. That’s the most in the league together with Wolfsburg.
7. Confident Leverkusen
Leverkusen have made their best start to a Bundesliga season in eight years with 16 points from seven matchdays. The only time they’ve had more on the board at this stage was in 2009/10 (17) and 2013/14 (18). Their total of 20 goals after seven games is in fact a new club record.
We looked back on our last visit to Leverkusen, with Lewandowski the man to send Bayern top:
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