Bayern Vs Leverkusen in Leverkusen Triggers Late Kane Call as Kompany Juggles Injuries

bayern vs leverkusen headlines Saturday afternoon in the Bundesliga as Bayer 04 Leverkusen host FC Bayern Munich at the BayArena, with Bayern coach Vincent Kompany managing a stretched squad and keeping Harry Kane’s workload under close watch. Kane is named on the bench after missing Bayern’s previous two matches, while Sven Ulreich starts in goal in place of the injured Jonas Urbig.

Bayern Vs Leverkusen: Kane Benched, Ulreich Starts as Bayern Shuffle the XI

Bayern arrived in Leverkusen carrying strong form, but the immediate focus before kickoff centered on personnel. Kompany made two changes to his starting lineup compared with the 6: 1 win at Atalanta Bergamo: Ulreich came in for Urbig in goal, and Lennart Karl replaced Serge Gnabry in the attack.

Kane, who did not feature in Bergamo or in the prior match against Borussia Mönchengladbach, was again held back at the start. Kompany indicated before the match that Kane was expected to play a part later, while stressing the decision was guided by daily updates on how players feel. He framed the plan as potentially around half an hour, with the aim of moving past the issue after this game.

The published lineups listed Leverkusen with Blaswich; Quansah, Andrich, Tapsoba; Culbreath, Fernández, Aleix García, Poku; Terrier, Tillman; Schick. Bayern’s XI was Ulreich; Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Stanisic; Kimmich, Pavlovic; Olise, Karl, Díaz; Jackson.

Injuries and Absences Shape Bayern’s Approach

Saturday’s match came with broader availability problems for Bayern. Kompany had to do without Manuel Neuer and Urbig, leaving Ulreich to start. Bayern also had Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies unavailable.

Kane’s situation remained the highest-profile uncertainty through the build-up. On Friday, Kompany said it was not yet finally decided whether the striker would play, while noting Kane had a full training week—something he did not have before the match against Atalanta. Kompany described the process as one of gathering information until the point of decision, and he emphasized that performance sport requires constant assessment of readiness.

The context around Kane’s absence was described as a calf issue that kept him out of the previous two matches. He was considered fit enough to play in the Champions League win over Atalanta, but did not enter, with the game’s flow allowing Bayern to be cautious. In Leverkusen, Bayern instead opted for a controlled reintroduction with Kane starting on the bench.

What’s at Stake in the BayArena Clash

The matchup carried weight for both sides. Leverkusen went into the game in sixth place and needing points to push for Champions League qualification. The team’s approach was also complicated by the suspension of Alejandro Grimaldo, described as a key figure for the club this season in both goal involvements and deliveries into the penalty area.

Recent league form for Leverkusen was characterized as a difficult opening to the year: 15 points from the first 10 league matches of 2025, their weakest start since 2021.

Bayern, meanwhile, brought a run of seven consecutive competitive wins. They had already scored 92 league goals this season—described as a league record after 25 matchdays—and their scoring profile included finding the net before halftime in 96% of their matches. Even so, the trip to Leverkusen has not always been straightforward: Bayern’s last three league visits there ended without a win.

The numbers also pointed to an intriguing tactical battle. Both teams were described as among the league’s most pass-oriented sides, with Bayern averaging 698 passes per match and Leverkusen 626. Aleix García (2, 411 passes) and Joshua Kimmich (1, 874) were highlighted as the two most prolific passers in the Bundesliga, meeting directly in this game.

Kompany made clear he expected a tough contest, calling Leverkusen hard to break down and signaling Bayern would need edge in their performance to get a result. Leverkusen’s midweek Champions League match also set the scene: they drew 1: 1 at home against Arsenal in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie.

Kickoff for bayern vs leverkusen was set for 3: 30 pm ET, with attention on whether Kane’s anticipated second-half role would materialize as planned and how Bayern’s reshaped lineup would cope with a demanding away test.