Bayern Munich Aims for Decisive Victory at Bayer Leverkusen
Ahead of the highly anticipated Bundesliga clash with German champions Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich’s sporting director Max Eberl expressed his team’s determination to secure a pivotal victory in the title race.
An Imperative Win
"We’re aiming to travel there and win the game. We’ll see where we stand in the table afterwards. It’s obvious to everyone what that would mean," Eberl stated.
Bayern’s eight-point lead over Leverkusen provides a substantial psychological advantage, according to Eberl. "We’re going there with that in mind, and it gives us a great feeling. If this situation presented itself, Leverkusen would probably need to win more than us to keep the title race open, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to sit back. We want to win this match. I see this game as a separate entity, and I’m really looking forward to it."
Alonso’s Impact
Since former Bayern player Xabi Alonso took over as manager at Leverkusen, the Werkself has remained undefeated against the Bavarians, boasting three victories and two draws in all competitions.
"I know it always gets reduced to individuals. We haven’t beaten Leverkusen with Xabi Alonso in charge yet, but it’s Bayern Munich playing at Bayer Leverkusen, and we have an eight-point lead, plus a better goal difference," Eberl emphasized.
A Bigger Objective
While a victory over Leverkusen would be crucial, Eberl stressed that the primary goal is not to humiliate Alonso, but to strengthen Bayern’s position in the title race.
"We’re playing to win the match, but it’s not about putting Xabi Alonso in his place. It’s about creating an even better starting position for FC Bayern Munich," Eberl explained.
"Leverkusen is one of the best teams in Germany and Europe, just like Bayern. We want to be one of the teams that can go there and win," said Bayern manager Vincent Kompany.
A Commanding Position
For the first time in over two and a half years, Bayern sits atop the Bundesliga table with an eight-point lead over the second-placed team. Such a commanding advantage at this stage of the season has never been surrendered in the history of the championship race.
"If you’re talking about dominance, we’ve been holding the reigning German champions in check all season long. It’s not about one or two games; it’s about the entire campaign," Eberl asserted.
"The Bundesliga title is the most honest trophy you can win, and we have a very, very good starting position," Eberl concluded.
