Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen, prediction, pick: Bundesliga live stream, where to watch, start time

Munich’s Allianz Arena will be the setting for one of the most intriguing matches of the weekend when Bayern Munich host Bayer Leverkusen in a clash of the Bundesliga’s most successful team and the side that snapped their streak of dominance.

Saturday’s game will be a top-of-the-table clash but even as the luster of last season’s record-breaking Bundesliga triumph still lingers for Leverkusen, it is Bayern who sit atop the table as the lone perfect side in the league. Their winning streak will face its strongest challenge yet from Leverkusen, who have three wins out of four in the league and still look the part. This match will also serve as a meeting of two young managers who hope to establish themselves as the best of their generation in the coming years – Leverkusen’s Bundesliga-winning boss Xabi Alonso and Bayern’s Vincent Kompany, who is weeks into his first job at one of Europe’s super clubs.

Here’s what you need to know before tuning in.

How to watch and odds

• Date: Saturday, Sept. 28 | Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Allianz Arena — Munich, Germany
• Live stream: ESPN+
• Odds: Bayern Munich -150; Draw +320; Bayer Leverkusen +330

Storylines

Bayern Munich: After going trophyless last season for the first time in more than a decade, things are so far, so good for Bayern under new management. They have a whopping 31 goals in six games this season, 10 of them from goalscorer extraordinaire Harry Kane, conceding five times along the way. As much as it is a sign of intent from Bayern to reverse course from last season, though, the excessive goal differential also suggests that the team has yet to face a meaningful challenge to start the season. As a result, there’s very little we know about Bayern’s mettle as they eye a return to first place by season’s end.

The good news is that not everything is a mystery in Munich. Kane remains as reliable as ever, while Jamal Musiala’s three goals and two assists suggest he will play a big role in their success this season. Olympic silver medalist Michael Olise is also a nice addition to the squad, already notching five goals and three assists of his own. That said, there are still question marks around Kompany’s strategy – Bayern are still a bit more porous in defense than they need to be, keeping just two clean sheets this season so far.

Bayer Leverkusen: Though Leverkusen are just three points behind Bayern, their season is off to a peculiar start. They have three wins out of four in league play and have scored nine goals, but have also conceded 13 along the way. Outside of their blowout 4-0 win at Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League, the margins of victory and defeat tend to be tight for Leverkusen this year, even when they score – look no further than their 4-3 win over Wolfsburg on Sunday and their 3-2 loss to RB Leipzig last month.

Fresh off his breakout season, Florian Wirtz is still in fine form with six goals and one assist while Victor Boniface is a frequent contributor in attack with four goals and one assist. They have the tools to break through a somewhat lackadaisical Bayern backline, but the question for them heading into Saturday’s game is if they can muster a strong defensive performance against a Bayern attack that is firing on all cylinders.

Prediction

It may not be in equal measure, but both teams are happy to score and concede in big numbers so it feels like Saturday’s meeting in Munich might be a high-scoring affair. Alonso’s team also has enough talent to stump Bayern for the first time this season, so the pair might split the points as one of the Bundesliga’s more fascinating title races in recent years begins to play out. Pick: Bayern Munich 2, Bayer Leverkusen 2