Lukas Hradecky on diminishing Bayer Leverkusen title prospects: “We’re still alive, but…” | OneFootball

The reality of the Bundesliga table following the latest set of 15:30 kick-offs certainly doesn’t bode well for defending champions Bayer Leverkusen. German record champions Bayern Munich’s win in last night’s curtain-raiser – combined with Leverkusen’s 0-0 draw against fellow “company club” Wolfsburg – leave Xabi Alonso’s Werkself eight points adrift in second place with 13 games remaining.

At this precise point last season, Leverkusen were commemorating a 3-0 win over Bayern on matchday 21. The famous victory put them five points clear ahead of Bayern. Even though the points difference was much smaller, most German football watchers had the sense that undefeated Leverkusen truly broke Bayern’s back by sending the Bavarians to their third league defeat of the 2023/24 campaign.

Sure enough, Bayern proved incapable of rebounding against lowly Bochum the very next week, while Leverkusen rolled to a 2-1 victory over Heidenheim, the eight-points-gap led to then FCB trainer Thomas Tuchel conceding the title-race. One more instance in which Xabi’s Bayer drop points could very well prove the final nail in the coffin.

Wolfsburg starter Kilian Fischer – speaking to Sky Germany – noted that lagging fatigue from Leverkusen’s hard-fought win over Köln in the Pokal played an obvious role in Saturday’s scoreless stalemate. Xabi did try and refresh with seven outfield changes. This only led to a lack of rhythm from the fresh faces and several mistakes from holdovers Granit Xhaka, Nordi Mukiele, and Jonathan Tah.

In fact, only some superb work from B04 keeper and captain Lukas Hradecky kept Wolfsburg from taking all three points. The long-time Werkself backstop spoke to the Sky microphones afterwards. The skipper candidly looked ahead to next Saturday evening’s Topspiel against Bayern. Even if they win against Vincent Kompany’s side, the five point gap remains a tough hurdle.

“The gap has grown,” Hradecky grimly admitted. “If we win next week, it could still happen. We’re still alive, but we need a win now.”

GGFN | Peter Weis