This is pretty much one of the main matches of the Bundesliga. It should be a foregone conclusion that a team and SQUAD like Bayern's should walk the league again, but you just never know when you cross that white line. As much as Robben will always be the deciding factor for Bayern, the new kid on the block from Brazil has shown that his fresher and quicker legs might actually just be as much a crucial component in deciding how many trophies Bayern can get this season.
And as Bayern have their weapons, so do Leverkusen. Bellerami is a very fast player with some nice skill who just needs better training in making the right decisions, but it's the young Turk that has slightly opened my eyes. Mister Cahlanoglu can pretty much be called one of the best dead-ball specialists in the world. Something that Beckham was known for, but Cahlanoglu is a FAR better footballer than him as a whole. The Turkish star is still young, but I do see a player who can cause Bayern problems in the way he can find spaces, and hurt them with killer passes and expert balls into the box to cause panic against what will be a new age defense with the injuries that Pep has to contend with.
It will be the experience against the youth. Bayern know how to win games. They can smack teams away as well as win close fought matches as they did against Hoffenheim. Leverkusen have always given them a game and have never been beaten outright. This isn't the clownish fraternity of Hamburg who seem to enjoy getting spanked on the ass constantly. They very well coached and Schmidt will be working on way to try and stop the threats on the wings from Costa and Robben and try and isolate Lewandowski, keeping him out of the game. But their cheddar will come on the counter, because Pep can't spell defense. Just like they did against Lazio, they can counter to devastation and really create opportunities that we HOPE Kiessling can at least connect with.
Bayern are Bayern though. Even with the injuries they have, they just have too much ammunition. Tar struggled against a youngster called Keita Balde when they faced Lazio. Lewandowski and the roaming Muller will be five levels above that. And with Robben on the pitch as well as Bart Simpson on the right flank, Leverkusen will have to bring their defensive A game to the table. I would like to see Bayern play at a higher intensity, but also be aware of what they have at the back. There is no real need for Pep to go all guns blazing because when you have such quality in attack, there is no real urge to have that many players. Robben, Costa, Muller and Lewandowski can muster up chances all by themselves VERY easily against ANY opponent.
I think this will be a close game, and it's hard to say how it will go. If Leverkusen can get in the game, and really find spaces and stretch Bayern, they could steal this. But if Bayern press them, and not allow them to get into any kind of process, and Robben and Costa and keep find spaces behind their opposite numbers and get into the danger areas, then that higher quality of Bayern could steal the game from them. These Leverkusen kids still have some growing up to do and Bayern may give them a little lesson in GROWN MAN ball.
