Could this be the game that decides the Bundesliga title?
Xabi Alonso and Bayer Leverkusen host Vincent Kompany and Bayern Munich on Saturday for a game which pits the German league's top teams and their acclaimed coaches, former world-class players who were on-field rivals.
A win for Bayern could be a knockout blow in the title race, sending Kompany's team 11 points clear. Leverkusen needs three points to keep alive any realistic hope of defending its title.
Key matchups
— Alonso has a history of tactical surprises in big games and could change his system against Bayern. He benched speedy right back Jeremie Frimpong and switched to a back four to outsmart then-Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel in a 3-0 home win a year ago that put Leverkusen firmly on course for its historic title.
— The “little Ruhr derby” pits Borussia Dortmund, fresh off a morale-boosting 3-0 win over Sporting Lisbon, against neighbor Bochum on Saturday. It's the main local rivalry for Dortmund now that arch-enemy Schalke is in the second division, and a heated contest in its own right.
— Selling Omar Marmoush to Manchester City seems to have sapped the momentum of third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt. It's winless in four games but aiming for three points against Holstein Kiel on Sunday.
Players to watch
— Harry Kane is by far the league top scorer with 21. Nine of them were penalties, including both of his goals in a 3-0 win over Werder Bremen last week, highlighting Bayern's skill at winning spot kicks.
— Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick has 14 goals in his last 11 Bundesliga games and could be vital to upsetting Bayern, though Victor Boniface is also an option for Alonso up front.
— Xavi Simons starred for Leipzig last week with a goal and assist in a 2-0 win over St. Pauli, his second game since the midfielder made his loan from Paris Saint-Germain permanent. Leipzig visits Augsburg on Friday.
Injury list
— Bayern wing back Alphonso Davies is out with a hamstring strain and didn't feature in the team's 2-1 win at Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday. Midfielder João Palhinha has missed two games with an illness.
— Alonso has a fully fit Leverkusen squad with the exception of two long-term injury absentees, winger Martin Terrier and defender Jeanuel Belocian.
— Leipzig's Antonio Nusa is likely out until late March after the 19-year-old winger injured his knee against St. Pauli.
Transfer news
— Jamal Musiala seems to be the next name on Bayern's contract to-do list after signing Davies and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to new deals. The German attacking midfielder's current deal expires at the end of next season.
What they’re saying
“As a player, as an athlete, you need wins.” — new Dortmund coach Niko Kovac hopes that beating Sporting is part of a broader turnaround.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
James Ellingworth, The Associated Press
