Leipzig vs Bayern: Will this game decide the Bundesliga title?

RB Leipzig will be hoping to close the gap on Bayern Munich when the two sides lock horns in Saturday’s title deciding clash.

For much of the season, the ambitious club have been relentless in their chase of the Bavarian titans. Although they only burst onto the top flight scene in 2016, Leipzig have quickly made it clear that they’re no “new kid on the block”. Founded in 2009, they’ve qualified for European football each and every season they’ve been in the Bundesliga, and now have set the league crown in their sights. As they’re no longer in any other competition, Julian Naglesmann’s side can firmly focus on trying to finally dislodge Bayern – although it will be no easy task.

Despite having their fair share of detractors, Leipzig’s rise has been pretty amazing. Last season saw them make it all the way to the Champions League semi-finals, where they were beaten by eventual runners-up PSG, but it was nonetheless a fantastic achievement for a team who were playing in the fourth tier as recently as a decade ago. As for this upcoming game, they currently sit four points behind, and could reduce that to one if they can finally get the win they desperately need against the Bavarian titans.

However, a loss would be simply catastrophic. No team have ever been able to recover from a seven point deficit. And that disadvantage is even more daunting considering the team in question is Bayern Munich, who we all know know how to hang on to a lead. Still, Leipzig certainly won’t be daunted. They have the unique stat of being the only team to have managed to keep die Roten from scoring since Hansi Flick took over. Yes, that’s correct. In the 76 competitive matches in the Flick era, Bayern have failed to score just twice.

Leipzig are the team to have blocked them on both occasions. And they’re the only team that Robert Lewandowski haven’t scored against this season. By the way, no player has ever managed to score against all the teams in the Bundesliga in one season, and Lewandowski won’t have the chance to attempt that feat anyway as he’s unfortunately out for this game. The 32-year-old suffered an injury while on international duty and will also miss Bayern’s Champions League rematch with PSG as well. This obviously is a huge concern especially given the role he plays up front, and also he’s only five goals away from matching Gerd Muller’s 49-year-old record so pretty much everyone is hoping he’ll recover soon and be back in action as Bayern fans and neutrals alike (this author included) certainly would like to see him break it. Why? Because many of us (again, this author included) weren’t even born when Muller set that record, and it’s always pretty awesome to see old records broken!

Lewandowski isn’t Bayern’s only big absence, though. Die Roten will have to make do without speedy defender Alphonso Davies due to suspension, as well as Corentin Tolisso, Jerome Boateng, and Douglas Costa. While Costa hasn’t really nailed down a starting spot in Flick’s starting XI, both Tolisso and Boateng have featured at various points considering Bayern’s involvement in three competitions this season.

So, with Bayern probably nervous about their upcoming UCL tie with PSG – especially as Les Parisiens will be gunning for revenge – there certainly isn’t a better time for Leipzig to take advantage. They’re the most in-form team in the Bundesliga right now, with 22 points from their last 24 games, and have lost just two of their last 27 Bundesliga matches overall. The question is, will they be able to get over the finish line? Or will they freeze up? Playing Bayern certainly is no easy task, but if Leipzig finally want to prove themselves as serious contenders and not pretenders, today certainly will be the day to do it.