Vincent Kompany hopes it is going to be fourth time fortunate as he seeks to steer Bayern Munich to their first win over Bayer Leverkusen since taking up the membership.
Bayern welcome the Bundesliga champions to the Allianz Enviornment on Wednesday within the first leg of their final 16 tie within the Champions League.
However it has been Xabi Alonso who has had the higher of this fixture since becoming a member of Leverkusen in October 2022.
Certainly, underneath the Spaniard, Leverkusen are unbeaten of their six matches in opposition to Bayern throughout all competitions, profitable three and drawing the remainder of these video games.
They’ve additionally stored a clear sheet in three of their final 4 in opposition to Bayern, after not maintaining any of their earlier 15 video games in opposition to them, conceding 42 targets.
And Kompany stated his workforce’s probability of victory would trip on the small particulars between two robust sides, having drawn twice with Leverkusen and dropping within the DFB-Pokal already this season.
“Neither I nor Xabi Alonso can affect the ball. Each groups have lots of particular person qualities that may affect the sport,” Kompany informed a press convention on Tuesday.
“You’ll be able to plan as a lot as you need for these video games, however it’s then the gamers who must do it.
“Every of the three video games had been completely different tales. However all of them had been performed on the very restrict.”
Sprinting in direction of the #UCL matchday tomorrow
The boys are locked in for Leverkusen #FCBayern #MiaSanMia | #FCBB04 #UCL pic.twitter.com/9ZGsI4ELGf
— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) March 4, 2025
The final assembly between the 2 sides got here again in February, with Bayern capable of maintain on for a 0-0 draw, having been fully dominated by Alonso’s workforce.
Leverkusen registered an anticipated targets (xG) tally of two.16 from their 15 photographs, whereas additionally limiting Bayern to simply two makes an attempt, accumulating an xG of simply 0.05.
However it’s Kompany’s aspect who maintain the benefit within the Bundesliga standings, holding an eight-point lead over second-placed Leverkusen with 10 video games remaining.
“We don’t go into the sport to do a bit much less this week and a bit extra subsequent week,” Kompany stated of their two-legged Champions League tie.
“We hope as a workforce to have options for the qualities of Leverkusen and tomorrow, not solely as a workforce but in addition individually, to ship one of the best efficiency.
“(The 2 legs) undoubtedly play a job. We all know it’s not about all or nothing tomorrow.
“There are two matches however nonetheless we play at residence and which means generally one thing particular can occur.”
This would be the first ever assembly between Bayern and Leverkusen in a serious European competitors.
The 33-time Bundesliga champions gained their final match in opposition to German opposition within the Champions League, beating Borussia Dortmund within the 2012-13 ultimate.
