Table-toppers Bayern Munich host Bayer Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena on Saturday evening (17:30 GMT), with a resurgent Leverkusen hoping to be the first side to beat the reigning German champions this season.
Team form
The German champions have been flawless so far this campaign, winning all eight of their fixtures in convincing fashion.
Bayern have scored an outstanding 30 goals and conceded just four times thus far, with commanding wins over the likes of RB Leipzig (6-0), Hamburg (5-0), Werder Bremen (4-0) and Monchengladbach (3-0) last weekend.
After failing to win their first two games of the season, including blowing a two-goal lead in a 3-3 draw with Werder, Leverkusen made the shock decision to sack former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.
Die Werkself have turned that form around under Kasper Hjulmand and are currently on a four-game winning streak that has seen them climb up to fifth in the league and just two points behind second-placed Leipzig.
It’s worth noting that all those victories have been against sides in the bottom half of the table, so this is going to be a much stiffer task for Leverkusen and a test of their true form.
Head-to-head
Bayern have struggled against Leverkusen domestically in recent seasons, failing to win any of their last five Bundesliga meetings.
Even when claiming the German title easily last season, Die Werkself were a thorn in the champions’ side, with 0-0 and 1-1 draws.
Leverkusen have also recorded 3-0 and 2-1 wins over Bayern in that time, with Die Roten’s last league win in this fixture a 4-0 victory in the first half of the 2022/23 season.
Team news
Bayern’s three main absentees, Hiroki Ito, Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies, remain out of action for Kompany.
Ito is the nearest to coming back, with an expected return date of the end of the month, but Musiala and Davies still face a while on the sidelines.
Manuel Neuer was dropped for the trip to Monchengladbach at the weekend to give understudy Jonas Urbig a chance between the sticks, but the veteran goalie could return for the Leverkusen tie.
Leverkusen are more stretched injury-wise. The absence of Exequiel Palacios, Nathan Tella, Axel Tape, Malik Tillman and Lucas Vazquez could give Hjulmand a selection headache for this trip to the Allianz.
Key stats
Bayern Munich have averaged 3.8 goals per game in the league this season.
Leverkusen have averaged 2.8 cards per game in the Bundesliga thus far.
Harry Kane has 12 goals and three assists in the German top flight this campaign.
Luis Dias has been in fantastic form since arriving from Liverpool, with five goals and four assists in eight Bundesliga games, but is just one yellow card away from a suspension.
Alejandro Grimaldo has been a dangerman for Leverkusen, netting four goals and providing two assists from left wing-back.
Prediction
While Leverkusen look dangerous on paper due to their strong recent run in the Bundesliga, you can pick holes in their form due to the level of opposition they’ve faced.
Bayern Munich are an entirely different beast from the rest of the German top tier, and given how they’ve started the campaign, this could be a difficult night for the visitors.
With the host’s attack in scary form, it would take an incredible performance from Leverkusen to come away from Munich with anything other than a defeat.
