Talking Tactics: Bayern Munich look to seal domestic double

Bayern Munich will come up against Peter Bosz’s Tiki-taka style

One might not be awed to learn the fact that Bayer Leverkusen operates with a pro-possession based system. Their gameplay might leave you awestruck, though. Keeping their previous few league games in mind, their passing network and one-touch football have been sublime.

An average of 65% ball possession has been registered by Bosz’s men in their last six Bundesliga matches. Bayer Leverkusen likes to build the attack out from the back. Lucas Hradecky, Die Werkself’s man between the posts, plays an important role. Peter Bosz typically makes use of two center-backs that split wide and have passing options in the front with two pivots. Their full-backs remain wide on the touchline and in the same zone as the pivots to facilitate angled passing options.

A system based on proximity, Bayer Leverkusen attempt to rotate the ball between these seven players to disorganize their opposition. A particular feat about this astute passing has been manifested when playing under pressure. Jonathan Tah, the Bender brothers, and Julian Baumgartlinger made 57 passes when Mainz tried to put pressure on them. The quarter clocked a mean pass completion rate of 92% in their 1-0 victory against Mainz.

The 2-0 defeat at the hands of Hertha Berlin gave a similar impression. Bruno Labbadia’s Hertha BSC, who tend to press aggressively, deep in the opposition’s half, were often taken by surprise. Tah and co. made 230 touches in their third in Berlin. Along with Hradecky, Aleksander Dragovic, Edmond Tapsoba, and Wendell, Tah made a total of 139 short progressive passes to the mid-thirds. Playing through pressure is an art perfected by Bosz. It is through this tactic that Leverkusen find channels to feed their wingers in the attack.