The 2016/2017 Bundesliga match between Bayern Munich and Leipzig, runner-up, is the most attractive match of the second round of the 2017/2018 Germany Cup. The clash takes place this Wednesday, October 25, at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig. The beginning is scheduled for 16:45 (BrasÃlia time).
The rules of the tournament require single game definitions. Thus, only the winner of the duel will survive in the dispute for the title that was conquered by Borussia Dortmund the previous season. Draw causes the achievement of 30 minutes extension and if equality persists the definition will be held by decision by penalties.
The recent performance of Leipzig
For the first time in an international competition, Leipzig showed some difficulty in dividing their squad between the tournaments at the beginning of the 2017/2018 season. That caused stumbling both in the German Championship and in the Champions League of Europe.
The youngest, however, seems to have taken the path that led him to grow. Won the last four games. On Saturday, October 21, at home, he scored 1-0 at Stuttgart for the ninth round of the Bundesliga again placing his name as one of the candidates for the tournament title. With 19 points (six wins, one draw and two defeats), he is in third place a point behind Dortmund and Bayern, who split the lead of the tournament.
The same thing happened in the Champions League. After making just one point in the first two rounds, he beat Porto 3-2 in Leipzig to take the top spot in Group G. With four points behind Besiktas, they won all three of their games and reached nine points.
The initial instability did not have effects in the Glass of Germany, until having had as rival in the first phase a semi-professional team. Out of their domains, Leipzig thrashed Dorfmerkingen 5-0.
To catch Bayern, coach Ralph Hasenhutti has only one question to climb his team. Defender Stefan Ilsanker is handed over to the medical department (six matches in the 2017/2018 German Championship season, no goal). An injury to his toe took him out of the last two games. A new medical evaluation must say whether he will be able to act on Wednesday. Also in the infirmary is the Swiss goalkeeper Fabio Coltorni. In this case, however, it is a minor problem because the archer is a reserve.
The current form of Bayern Munich
The beginning of the 2017/2018 season at Bayern was also problematic. However, the situation seems to have been remedied with the dismissal of Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, who went on a collision course with some of the group’s top athletes.
Since veteran Jupp Heickens dropped his pajamas and resumed Bayern’s command, the team collected three wins without conceding a goal. The last one had a lot of drama involved. Bayern have had one more player since the end of the first half (Hamburg midfielder Gideon Jung was sent off in the 38th minute), but he had a hard time reaching the 1-0 win.
As Dortmund drew 1-1 with Eintracht Frankfurt, they went on to divide the lead with their rivals by reaching 20 points (six wins, two draws and a loss). However, when the tiebreaker criteria are considered, it finishes in second place.
Same position as in group B of the Champions League. He accumulated six points (two wins and one loss). They are three less than the Paris Saint-Germain. In the German Cup, Bayern, who were eliminated by Dortmund in the semifinals of the previous season, dispatched the Cheminitzer by 5 to 0.
History of the bouts between Leipzig and Bayern Munich
The teams faced each other for the first time in the 2016/2017 season of the German Championship. In Munich, Bayern won by 3 to 0. In Leipzig, also got the best in an exciting match. He scored from 5 to 4 getting a turn with two goals scored in the final minutes.
PREDICTION: DRAW @ 3.80