Remembering when Bayer Leverkusen's defensive, tactical masterpiece nullified Bayern Munich's attack

Feb 27, 2026 - 12:30

Alonso sprung a surprise on pundits and supporters before kick-off, as usual starters Jeremie Frimpong, Jonas Hofmann and Patrik Schick were all named on the substitutes bench. The head coach instead opted for a more cautious approach, as Josip Stanišić - then on loan from Bayern before returning to Bavaria in the summer - lined up at right-back with Nathan Tella in front of him, and the speedy Amine Adli came in for Schick up front. “We looked to confuse Bayern even before the match”, explained midfielder Robert Andrich in regards to the unexpected changes.

“Against Bayern, you have to be strong defensively”, said Alonso after the game. “We did a great job; we were disciplined and compact. We didn’t give them anything”. It is impossible to disagree with that analysis – the way Leverkusen neutralised the record champions was almost unprecedented. Explaining his side’s approach, Alonso added, “Even though we wanted to dominate, on occasion we needed to wait and defend compactly.”