Bayer Leverkusen hitting form right on time
Bayer Leverkusen's Matchday 26 draw with Bayern Munich was their second stalemate in a week after also tying with Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League, and although Kasper Hjulmand's side couldn't hold onto win either game, they proved they're more than capable of going toe-to-toe with Europe's best.
Leverkusen came into their meeting with Bayern on the back of a draw with Premier League leaders Arsenal in the Champions League in midweek. That meeting also ended 1-1, with the North London side only equalising late on through a penalty in a game where the Werkself looked assured against strong opposition.
They brought that same energy to their Bundesliga clash with Vincent Kompany's side, with a result necessary to keep their hopes for a top-four finish alive.
They started the better of the two sides, with confident passing and stubborn defending resulting in Aleix García firing them into an early lead.
Watch: Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Bayern Munich
While they couldn't hold onto their lead in a chaotic game which saw three disallowed goals and two dismissals, Leverkusen boss Kasper Hjulmand was proud of his side.
"We put in a good performance – we defended very well, played with structure, passion and power," said the Dane. "The most important thing is the sharpness of our chances: we did a lot of things right – and then it's about scoring the goals."
That result puts Leverkusen just two points behind VfB Stuttgart in fourth, and underlines their position as real contenders for a Champions League place. Against Bayern, the Werkself led the way in terms of xG (2.12 - 1.94), shots on target (7-5) and corners (4-1), showcasing their ability to make even the best of defences sweat.
With games against Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Stuttgart still to come, Leverkusen will be full of confidence in their ability to perform in the biggest of games, with their win away to Manchester City (2-0) earlier in this season's Champions League campaign even further proof of that.
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