Bayern Munich: Takeaways from thrilling win against Bayer Leverkusen

Takeaways from Bayern Munich’s late win against Bayer Leverkusen.

Bayern Munich rounded off Hinrunde with a thrilling win at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. For the much part of the game, both teams competed well, and the result could have gone either way. However, Robert Lewandowski came up clutch again by scoring the winner in stoppage time to take all three points for Die Roten.

Courtesy of the win on Saturday, Bayern moved back to the top of the table with a lead of two points over Bayer Leverkusen. There are still a few areas of concern for Die Roten, but Hansi Flick will be pleased with the fight shown by the players. Let us look at the key takeaways from the game in Leverkusen.

Hansi Flick playing the right system with the wrong personnel

Since Flick was without Leon Goretzka for this game and Joshua Kimmich was not ready to start, he once again went with a back four with three center-backs. David Alaba slotted in the midfield with Corentin Tolisso. The idea was right by Flick, but the personnel was not suited to the way he wanted to play.

Alphonso Davies was providing the width on the left, but there was no support for Kingsley Coman and late Leroy Sane on the right. Niklas Sule was not venturing forward as he was on the far right of the defense since he is not exactly rapid to play like a right-back. This lack of balance on both sides helped Leverkusen to knick the ball off the right side of the pitch. Someone like Pavard as the wing-back on the right side would have given Die Roten much better shape and balance on Saturday.

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Lewandowski bails out a struggling attack

Lewandowski once again showed on Saturday that he is the best number nine in the world. Leverkusen gifted the first goal to him, but the second goal showed the amount of composure the Polish striker has in the most crucial moments of the game.

The 32-year-old striker was the most active player in the box for Die Roten, with seven shots in the game. He was also providing an outlet on the flanks when Bayern was trying to hit Leverkusen on the counter. His all-around play, along with deadly finishing, makes him the best striker in the world. Lewandowski now has 17 goals in 12 games in the Bundesliga this season, showing no signs of slowing down after enjoying a career-best campaign last season.

Kimmich brings much-needed calmness on the pitch

For two-thirds of the game, Bayern was erratic with their passing. They showed very less composure on the ball when the home side was pressing aggressively. However, things changed drastically when Joshua Kimmich stepped on the pitch in the 68th minute.

The German international returned after a long layoff due to a serious injury he suffered in Der Klassiker earlier this season. He instantly slotted in front of the defense and started dictating the play. He boasted 85% passing accuracy during his stay on the pitch, second to only Jerome Boateng for Bayern. Most importantly, he stopped Leverkusen from dictating the flow of the game. His proactive approach played a big role in the winning goal. Flick will be breathing a sigh of relief after seeing Kimmich back in action. (Stats courtesy: Whoscored)