Unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen are now 10 points clear of defending Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich with 10 games to go. So, how soon could Xabi Alonso’s side officially win the Meisterschale?
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1st: Bayer Leverkusen (64 points, GD +45)
2nd: Bayern Munich (54 points, GD +37)
Leverkusen have dropped points only four times in the league this season and are yet to lose. It is the second time in their history they have reached Matchday 24 without defeat. The previous occasion, in 2009/10, saw Die Werkself eventually finish fourth and 11 points behind champions Bayern. They also have the deep scars of having twice thrown away the title on the final day of the season.
Bayer’s most recent 2-0 derby win away at Cologne moved them onto 64 points, which is the second-best tally ever at this stage of a Bundesliga season after the 68 points that Pep Guardiola’s Munich side had on the board in 2013/14.
Watch: Cologne 0-2 Leverkusen – highlights
Read our five reasons why Alonso’s Leverkusen look destined for the title
Since Bayern were held to a 2-2 draw in Freiburg last time out, it saw the gap to the summit open up to 10 points. No team in Bundesliga history with such a large advantage at the top this late in a season has squandered their lead. It means that history is pointing towards Leverkusen finally getting their hands on the Meisterschale for the first time – and Bayern’s 11-year reign coming to an end.
Watch: Leverkusen moved clear with a 3-0 win over Bayern
Die Werkself have led the way after 20 out of 24 matchdays so far in 2023/24. As things stand, with 10 rounds to go, the earliest date on which they can be confirmed as champions is Matchday 28, on 6 April. That assumes that Leverkusen win their next four games, while Bayern manage a maximum of one point in that run.
Should Thomas Tuchel’s side do their part in the coming weeks, the earliest the Meisterschale can move to the BayArena is after Matchday 31, with three games remaining. That would be when the 10-point difference finally becomes unsurmountable. Bayern host Eintracht Frankfurt and Leverkusen are at home to VfB Stuttgart that weekend.
Vote: Have your say on the title race below!
From the same set of final 10 fixtures in the first half of the season, Leverkusen earned 26 out of a possible 30 points (eight wins, two draws). Bayern managed nine wins and one draw. However, even 21 points would now be enough for Alonso’s men over the last 10 games, regardless of Bayern’s results.
Could Leverkusen even be on for a treble?
What about Bayern’s chances? Of course, they are still in the hunt. Mathematically, every team down to sixth could still be champions. In reality, though, the Bavarians do not have things in their own hands and need Leverkusen to start dropping some points – a minimum of four defeats, while Bayern themselves remain perfect from now on would do the job.
The Munich club have proven so often that they do not relinquish their title easily, even going down to the final kick of the season. Do not write them off just yet.
