Champions League: Does Alonso have Kompany in his Pocket?

Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen

Vincent Kompany and Xabi Alonso come face to face for the fourth time this season when they clash in the Champions League Round of 16, the first leg at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.

Leverkusen qualified for the Round of 16 comfortably, finishing sixth in the table with 16 points, while Bayern recovered from a poor start to finish 12^th and then struggled to beat Scottish club Glasgow Celtic in the play-offs, thanks to an injury time Alphonso Davies goal. And that means the first leg is in Munich, giving Die Werkself a slight advantage and, having failed to beat these opponents three times already, the pressure is on Kompany to deliver.

Alonso’s team has done something to Bayern that few others have got close to by nullifying their attacking threat. In a recent 0-0 draw in Leverkusen the Bavarians had just two shots to Bayer’s 15, and neither of them on target. And the last time the 2024 champions visited Munich they came away with a 1-0 win in the DFB Pokal Cup.

This tie is so hard to call and a great prospect for SBOTOP football fans; and both teams come into the game on the back of an impressive away win in the Bundesliga, Bayern winning 3-1 against VfB Stuttgart while Leverkusen thumped Eintracht Frankfurt 4-1.    

 

Talking Points

Numbers coming back for Bayern

The return of top scorer Harry Kane has been a real boost to the Bundesliga leaders and though he didn’t score in the win over Stuttgart, he’s fit and ready for this huge clash with their title rivals. He has scored seven goals already in the competition, with summer recruit Michael Olise bagging five; and no player has had more goal contributions than Kane’s 20 (15 goals and five assists) since he arrived at the Allianz Arena last season.  

As well as Kane, Bayern are hoping midfield ace Joshua Kimmich will be fit for the European tie after getting back to training last week. And in other Champions League 2025 news there should also be starting spots for flying winger Jamal Musiala, midfield enforcer Joao Palhinha and Davies who all reported minor knocks at the weekend but have been cleared to play. 

The latest Champions League 2025 betting markets pitch Die Bayern as fifth favourites to win the title and that means they are backed to edge out Leverkusen, but this tie will be on a knife edge and Kompany’s men will need to be at their very best.   

 

Leverkusen firing on all cylinders again

After a slight stutter in the New Year and drifting eight points behind Bayern Munich, Die Werkself faced a win-only task in Frankfurt and they certainly delivered in some style against seriously dangerous opponents. Former Burnley star Nathan Tella, who was with the Clarets during the reign of Kompany, has been getting more game time and his pace can certainly stretch a defence. He scored Die Werkself’s first goal against the Eagles before goals from Nordi Mukiele, top scorer Patrik Schick and Aleix Garcia made it a rout. Alonso has options up front, with experienced winger Jeremie Frimpong making five assists in the Champions League; but the jewel in the crown is attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz. Still only 21 years of age the Germany star has scored 34 goals in 133 appearances and he already has six goals in the Champions League this term.  

At the other end of the pitch centre back Piero Hincapie will slot in alongside Jonathan Tah, having missed out at the weekend through suspension, and that’s the pair tasked with keeping Kane quiet; and in the middle of the park Granit Xhaka will try to impose himself on Palhinha while protecting the back four.   

 

History

With 44 victories to 16 the Bavarians have had the lion’s share of wins in this relationship but Kompany is yet to get the better of Alonso, with two draws in the Bundesliga and that defeat on the DFB Pokal; in fact Leverkusen have won three and drawn three of their last six meetings with Bayern. 

Both teams have won four and drawn two of their last six games so they come into this game in good nick and ready to do battle.  

 

Betting Tip

The hosts are priced at 1.81 to win this first leg with Leverkusen at 3.86 and, despite being unbeaten away from home in 29 Bundesliga games, Die Werkself came a cropper in their last two Champions League matches on the road, away to Liverpool and Atletico Madrid, a bad tempered game which saw both teams going down to ten men, Hincapie getting his marching orders. 

This is a fascinating clash which may be won in the dugout if Alonso can get the better of Kompany again, and I won’t bet against that. For an alternative bet 2-3 goals is priced at 2.01 and a 1-1 draw is at 6.80, and that outcome would give Leverkusen a vital edge.   

   

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