Bayern or Bayer – who will lose their first title of the season tonight?

Football fans are watching this knockout game: FC Bayern against Bayer Leverkusen is what feels like the German Cup final in the round of 16. A preliminary look at the team parts.

Xabi Alonso speaks of “a top-top game”. In fact, the mega round of 16 between record cup winners FC Bayern and defending champions Bayer Leverkusen this evening (8.45 p.m.) in the Munich Football Arena is a test of strength in which victory is the only thing that counts.

A draw like the fight for Bundesliga points at the end of November is not possible this time. The loser is out – and with it the first title of the season is gone. It’s worth taking a look in advance at the team parts and at big duels like that of the DFB young stars Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz.

goalkeeper

After seven wins to zero, Bayern captain Manuel Neuer conceded a goal for the first time in the 1-1 draw in Dortmund. BVB attacker Jamie Gittens’ shot went over Neuer’s head from a tight angle and into the goal. The 38-year-old prevented the score from going 0-2 after the break when he brilliantly parried a shot from Marcel Sabitzer with his leg. Neuer was aggressive before the duel with Bayer: “We know these pressure situations.”

Lukas Hradecky is the undisputed number 1 in Leverkusen. However, representative Matej Kovar has played in the cup so far. Hradecky played 15 of 20 competitive games, Kovar played twice in the Champions League and replaced the Finn once in the league. Alonso did not reveal whether Kovar will continue to play in the DFB Cup or whether he trusts his reliable regular goalkeeper.

Defense

Kompany’s new, dominant and entertaining hurray style defensively became harakiri football at times. But since the 4-1 defeat in Barcelona, ​​the Munich team have made a few adjustments to develop a defensive bulwark in which Dayot Upamecano and Minjae Kim in particular have mutated from devils of errors into good tacklers. Will they also stop Bayer goalscorer Patrik Schick?

The champion’s most consistent team: Edmond Tapsoba, Jonathan Tah, who would like to move to Bayern next season, and Piero Hincapie were on the pitch in all league games. They are considered a confident and well-rehearsed trio, which is complemented by Nordi Mukiele. In the outside positions, Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo have two very offensive and goal-scoring defenders.

midfield

In the 1-1 draw in Munich at the end of September, it was Aleksandar Pavlovic who equalized Leverkusen’s lead through Robert Andrich. The reunion in the cup comes a little too early for the 20-year-old after a broken collarbone. Leon Goretzka sat on the bench for 90 minutes two months ago. But the retired national player is currently in demand again at Bayern and, as he once did, forms a functional team with Joshua Kimmich in the double six. Kimmich directs the game, Goretzka brings dynamism.

Leverkusen’s defensive midfield is so exquisitely equipped that at least one midfielder always has to go to the bench. Granit Xhaka is seen as a thinker, a leader and sometimes even a goalscorer. The strong duel Exequiel Palacios or Andrich could play next to him, both also as an eighth. Aleix Garcia is also available as a central defensive midfielder. The 27-year-old has only started four times in the league.

Offensive

Of course, the question of all Bayern questions is: Who will replace the injured Harry Kane (20 goals this season)? Kompany named Müller, Tel, Gnabry, Olise and Sané as options. Of course, Munich’s biggest offensive trump card is currently Jamal Musiala. The 21-year-old has scored ten goals this season. The national player is suddenly feared and admired as a header monster. “Jamal is a top player and very important for FC Bayern,” said Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso with appreciation.

Musiala against Wirtz – it will be a big eye-catcher in the Allianz Arena. And Alonso’s wish when it comes to the test of strength between the DFB young stars of the same age is clear: “We expect the best Flo.” Wirtz is the big flywheel in Bayer’s game, he scores goals and prepares goals. Especially for Schick, who is heading into the big cup evening with four goals in the last six competitive games. “Patrik is in a top moment,” says Alonso.

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