Daily Times

Bayern Munich faces Heidenheim in a high-stakes match as the newly promoted side attempts to halt the momentum of Bayern, which is currently competing fiercely with Bayer Leverkusen for the Bundesliga title this season.

Bayern and the skillful Bayer Leverkusen, guided by former Real Madrid and Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, stand as the only unbeaten teams in the league heading into the weekend. Leverkusen leads the table with 28 points, two ahead of Bayern in second place, while third-placed Stuttgart trails by five points.

The leading duo’s dominance was evident last weekend, with their closest rivals-Stuttgart, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig-all suffering discouraging losses. Leverkusen, in particular, only dropped points in a thrilling 2-2 draw against Bayern in September.

Bayern enters the match fresh off a 2-1 Champions League victory against Galatasaray, secured by a Harry Kane double but marred by the loss of forward Jamal Musiala to a hamstring injury. Despite challenges, Bayern and Leverkusen remain a cut above the rest, leaving the chasing pack, including Stuttgart, Dortmund, and Leipzig, grappling with setbacks.

Leverkusen’s Granit Xhaka, the Swiss midfielder, emphasised the hunger of his young team to achieve something significant this season. However, he cautioned that no team has ever won the title after 10 matchdays, drawing from his experience with Arsenal in the Premier League.

As Leverkusen anticipates a potential first-ever Bundesliga title, reigning champions Bayern are longing for a break amid a growing injury list. Coach Thomas Tuchel expressed hope for an unscathed victory against Heidenheim before the international break, highlighting the significance of the upcoming rest for the team. In another key fixture, Leverkusen faces Union Berlin, who are struggling with the memory of a 5-0 defeat in the same fixture last season. Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Brandt emerges as one to watch, having consistently delivered on his creative potential in recent matches.

Key stats reveal Harry Kane’s remarkable scoring prowess with 15 goals in 10 league games for Bayern this season, while Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy closely.