Five things we learned from RB Leipzig 2-2 Bayern Munich
Harry Kane (l.) now has 11 goal involvements in just six Bundesliga games for Bayern. - © IMAGO/Beautiful Sports
Harry Kane (l.) now has 11 goal involvements in just six Bundesliga games for Bayern. - © IMAGO/Beautiful Sports
It was a game that had it all, and Bayern's spirited second-half comeback against free-scoring Leipzig has given us some valuable insights into the credentials of the two multi-talented title contenders. bundesliga.com outlines five key points from the big clash...
1) Leipzig have Bayern's number
The hosts didn't end up taking the three points that looked on the cards at half-time, but they can content themselves with extending an extremely strong recent record against Bayern. They are now unbeaten in their past four meetings with the champions.
The ease with which Leipzig's attacking pace broke through Bayern's defence in the first-half confirmed that the Saxony-based are more than a match for the Bavarian giants. Loïs Openda broke through on a couple of occasions after hitting his opening strike on the break - with only an offside flag denying a certain penalty and a chance for 3-0 - while Emil Forsberg also missed a good early opportunity.
It isn't only on the transition that Bayern are vulnerable to Leipzig's attacking power, however. Castello Lukeba's goal from a corner was the third set-piece goal that Die Roten Bullen have netted against Bayern in two matches, counting their 3-0 Supercup win in August.
Watch: Bayern fight back to earn a point at the Red Bull Arena
It is very rare indeed for Bayern to be two goals down at the break. They have not been in that situation since February 2022 against Bochum. We can't wait for the next meeting between the sides - scheduled for the weekend of 24 February 2024 - to see if Bayern have an answer to their current nemesis.
2) Write Bayern off at your peril
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel compared the encounter to "an open boxing fight" and if anything defines a great champion in the ring, it is their ability to be put on the ropes and bounce back to land decisive blows.
Time after time Bayern have been up against it of late only to dispel all doubts about their class - most notably in securing a last-gasp title win on the final matchday of the 2022/23 season in Cologne.
Watch: Tuchel compares match to "open boxing fight"
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The way Bayern found an extra gear in the second half and forced their way back into a game that had been running away from them was truly impressive. Having not registered a shot by the 47th minute, Bayern then hit 11 efforts in their furious response - ultimately outshooting the hosts 11-7 - to gain a well-deserved draw thanks to a Harry Kane penalty and strike from in-form Leroy Sane.
Tuchel said: "The mentality, spirit, tempo and risk in our play, individual decisions, bite and energy were definitely better in the second half. We therefore deserved to come back."
3) Harry Kane is a penalty master
Stepping up to the spot with your side two-down and knowing you have to score to give them any hope of salvaging a result takes nerve, experience and a clinical touch - all things Kane has by the bucketload.
Watch: Harry Kane: The Inside Story
The unstoppable spot kick he sent past Janis Blaswich's outstretched hands in the 57th minute was his fourth penalty for Bayern since joining this summer - and all of them have been converted. While the penalty he missed for England against France at the 2022 World Cup reminds us he is human, there are few players in football you would trust more with the ball on the spot at a critical moment for your team.
Kane's perfect penalty gave him his eighth goal of the season. Only one player in the history of the Bundesliga has ever scored more in their first six appearances - a certain Erling Haaland. Kane's 11 goal involvements this season places him at the very top of that category - jointly with Serhou Guirassy.
4) Leipzig cannot stop scoring
Openda is now Leipzig's leading scorer this season with four goals, and he highlighted the youth and energy of his teammates after the match, saying: "If we bring everything together, we can only do good things".
Watch: Loïs Openda speaks to bundesliga.com after the 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich
Die Roten Bullen's 16 goals after six matches marks a new club record for goalscoring - and when you consider they have faced Bayern, a formidable Bayer Leverkusen and a Union Berlin side known for defensive solidity, that achievement becomes even more impressive. That tally also doesn't include the three Dani Olmo goals in the Supercup against Bayern just before the season started.
In addition to Openda's impact, the hungry Leipzig unit have been buoyed by other new signings like Xavi and Benjamin Šeško - while Lukeba's goal was his first since the central defender signed this summer. Their 13 points and goal difference of +10 after six matchdays are also club records, leading us nicely to our final point...
5) We might have another tight title race
Granted we have not yet completed 20% of the season, but the results so far support the impression that last season's razor-tight title battle might not be a one-off.
Watch: Decision day in the 2022/23 title race - relived
A glance at the table shows that there are five teams separated by just three points at the top after Matchday 6. Leipzig will be perfectly content with fifth for now given the promise they have shown and the difficult opening fixtures they have faced. Borussia Dortmund, who were neck-to-neck with Bayern right to the very end last May, are now level with points with the champions after their 3-1 win at Hoffenheim on Friday.
VfB Stuttgart have been propelled by Guirassy's scoring glut to the second place, making them an unexpected factor in the equation. Leverkusen are the lone leaders now, a point clear of Stuttgart and two ahead of Bayern - with plenty of talk on the title credentials of Xabi Alonso's side. It would be impossible to predict all the twists and turns to come between now and May, but the battle for the Bundesliga title is shaping up very nicely - and the thrilling draw between Leipzig and Bayern has made the situation even more intriguing.
