The future of the Bundesliga title will likely be set after this weekend’s round of fixtures as current league leaders Bayern Munich travel to face second-placed RB Leipzig. Just four points separate the two sides and for the chasers, anything other than a win will surely hand Die Roten another domestic title.
Julian Nagelsmann has his side poised to dethrone Hansi Flick’s men at the summit of the Bundesliga and Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash is of grave importance. With Bayern having somewhat of an injury crisis with numerous defensive players out, perhaps this represents the best chance to defeat Bayern.
Even if Leipzig were to get the three points, they would still need Bayern to slip up again before the season’s end as well as continuing to win themselves. That might sound like a tall order but with just one point separating them should they win, anything is possible.
History has shown us that by this time of the season, Bayern has usually wrapped up the title already and thus leaves not much excitement as we head towards the crescendo of the season. By this time of the season, Die Roten’s focus is shifted towards the Champions League.
More from Bayern Strikes
- Bayern Munich: Tactical takeaways from 2-2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen
- Bayern Munich: Kingsley Coman set to be fit for Manchester United clash
- Bayern Munich unlikely to move for Trevoh Chalobah in January
- Bayern Munich: Key lessons from draw against Bayer Leverkusen
- Bayern Munich remains keen on hiring Max Eberl
However, this campaign, Rekordmeister’s stuttering defense has allowed teams to get at them and that is something surely Leipzig can do come Saturday. It is going forward where Die Roten obliterates teams with Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry, and Kingsley Coman out wide and the irrepressible Robert Lewandowski leading the line.
Lewy is on target to break Gerd Muller’s single-season goals record as he is just five shy of the 40-year-old record. Playing just 25 matches, the Polish hitman already has 35 goals in the Bundesliga and that strike rate is just phenomenal. Add to that his six assists as well along with his six Champions League goals in just five games and you can really see his supreme quality across all competitions. The Polish striker is an injury doubt for this game, but he will do everything possible to be fit for such a crunch game.
This match is essentially where the title will either be won or lost as the defending champions simply do not have to succumb to defeat to just about secure the title while for Leipzig, anything other than a win for Leipzig will surely signal the end to their title aspirations.
Either way, this match is simply must watch football as it is rare to see Rekordmeister be pushed this hard for the title. For the neutral, a win for Leipzig would set the Bundesliga alight with interest for the underdog, while a win for Die Roten would put an exclamation mark on their status as the undisputed kings of German football.