In numerical superiority for more than 70 minutes, Bayer Leverkusen of Granit .
For the Munich residents, whose last coronation in the competition dates back to 2020, this is the fifth consecutive season without reaching the last four of the German Cup, after the eliminations in the round of 16 in 2020/2021 (against the Borussia Mönchengladbach), in 2021/2022 (against Kiel) and in 2023/2024 (against Saarbrücken), in quarter-finals in 2022/2023 (against Fribourg) and, therefore, in the round of 16 this year (against Leverkusen).
A great atmosphere, opportunities on both sides, a red card early in the match and suspense: this clash of the round of 16 of the German Cup kept all its promises between Leverkusen – author of the cup/championship double last season – and the Munich Rekordmeister (33 times champion, 20 times Cup winner).
The deliverance for Xabi Alonso’s men came in the 69th minute with a goal from Nigerian international Nathan Tella, receiving a long cross to the far post from Spaniard Alejandro Grimaldo.
At this point in the match, Leverkusen had already been playing for more than 50 minutes in numerical superiority, after the exclusion in the 17th minute of Manuel Neuer. Having boarded outside his penalty area, the goalkeeper and captain of Bayern violently struck Dutch international Jeremie Frimpong with his right shoulder and pelvis, who had left Konrad Laimer and Dayot Upamecano behind.
The referee of the match Harm Osmers did not hesitate for a single second and immediately – and very logically – showed the red card. At 38 years old, this is the first time that Manuel Neuer has seen red directly for his 866th official match (23 yellow cards, no red). He will not be suspended in the league, but for the next Cup match in the round of 32 next season, if he extends his contract with Bayern beyond June 30, 2025.
The Israeli Daniel Peretz took Neuer’s place in the Munich goals and, apart from a chance for Frimpong that was well saved with his foot, he did not have much to do. Because the Munich residents created the best chances, like an attempted header from Leon Goretzka, not far from deceiving Matej Kovar, starting in place of the Finn Lukas Hradecky, at the end of the first period.
Left behind in the Bundesliga (seven points behind Munich), penalized by a start to the season below the standards of its exceptional 2023/2024 season, Bayer Leverkusen is regaining color with a fourth consecutive success.
Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany played for the first time without his English striker Harry Kane, who suffered a small muscle tear in his right thigh on Saturday in Dortmund (1-1). To compensate for his absence, the Belgian put the Frenchman Michael Olise, who alternated at the forefront with Leroy Sané. Without success.
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