Alonso\u2019s Leverkusen won three and drew three of their six domestic fixtures
\n BERLIN
\nBayer Leverkusen will resume their recent Bundesliga rivalry at Bayern Munich on Saturday but are almost completely unrecognisable from the side who struck fear into the hearts of the Bavarian giants in past seasons.
\nUnder Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen went toe-to-toe with Bayern for more than two seasons, pushing them harder than any German side had done since Jurgen Klopp\u2019s Borussia Dortmund more than a decade before.
\nAlonso\u2019s Leverkusen won three and drew three of their six domestic fixtures with Bayern during his tenure at the club, including a 3-0 demolition in February 2024 on the way to an unbeaten league and cup double.
\nThis season however, the clubs\u2019 fortunes have reverted to type.
\nLeverkusen lost several first-team cornerstones in the summer and are on their second coach of the season, with Kasper Hjulmand replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag after just two Bundesliga games. With just eight games played, Leverkusen sit fifth, seven points behind an unstoppable Bayern.
\nBayern\u2019s 4-1 German Cup win over Cologne on Wednesday was their 14th in 14 games, breaking a decades-old record for the best start in the history of Europe\u2019s top-five leagues.
\nThe contrasting records have Leverkusen looking unlikely to be the first to take points off Bayern this season, but there is hope.
\nUnder Hjulmand, Leverkusen have won six and drawn four, losing just one match \u2014 albeit a 7-2 thumping at the hands of European champs Paris Saint-Germain.
\nWith Wednesday\u2019s 4-2 German Cup win over second-division Paderborn going to extra time, Hjulmand promised to give his side time to recover before the trip to Bayern.
\n\u201cThose extra 30 minutes were not ideal for us, but that\u2019s football.
\n\u201cFrom now, it\u2019s all about recovery, treatment, nutrition, and everything necessary to be ready to win against Bayern.
\n\u201cThese next few days are important\u2013not much training, but regaining energy.\u201d
\nReborn under Hjulmand this season, midfielder Jonas Hofmann said Leverkusen would travel to Munich \u201cnot to complain, but to take something away with us.\u201d
\nOne to watch: Tiago Tomas
\nBrought in late in the window to replace the Premier League-bound Nick Woltemade, Tiago Tomas has quickly established himself in the forward line for an improving Stuttgart.
\nTomas has scored twice in the league and offers speed on the wings, linking well with strikers Deniz Undav and Ermedin Demirovic.
\nAfter another summer of upheaval, Stuttgart have won their past five league matches and sit third.
\n\u201cI\u2019ve heard some people say we\u2019re struggling, but I think it\u2019s normal,\u201d Tomas said in an interview with the Bundesliga website on Wednesday. \u201cIf during the process you can have the wins we\u2019ve had, I don\u2019t think we\u2019re struggling at all.\u201d
\n\u201cI\u2019m excited for what\u2019s next. I think we\u2019re growing together as a team.\u201d
\nStuttgart travel to second-placed RB Leipzig on Saturday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Alonso\u2019s Leverkusen won three and drew three of their six domestic fixtures BERLIN Bayer Leverkusen will resume their recent Bundesliga rivalry at Bayern Munich on Saturday but are almost completely unrecognisable from the side who struck fear into the hearts of the Bavarian giants in past seasons. Under Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen went toe-to-toe with Bayern […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":511984,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-511972","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n