There is just one more round of fixtures to go before the Bundesliga breaks up for its Christmas holidays, and it couldn’t have produced a more mouthwatering tie to finish up the first half of the season.
Wednesday will see current champions Bayern Munich, who currently sit in first place, go up against second placed RB Leipzig, who have exceeded expectations so far this season. Both sides currently have 36 points from 15 games and are separated by goal difference alone.
The winning side in Wednesday’s match will lead the pack going into Christmas, but who is favourite to take the points?
Bayern Munich will undoubtedly go into the game as favourites to emerge with a victory. Home advantage almost always provides teams with increased confidence and the fact that they remain unbeaten at the Allianz Arena in the league will only add to their clear advantage.
Likewise, Ancelotti’s side have plenty of experience in the title race. They have led at Christmas on the last four occasions and have gone on to lift the trophy each time. They have proven their title credentials over the years and can be counted on to step it up when they really need to. To most, the result of Wednesday’s game won’t seem like such a big deal, given that there is still lots of football to be played this season. Yet, with the margins so close, Bayern Munich will know that this game is likely to have a big effect on the outcome of the league come May.
RB Leipzig, on the other hand, have no experience to call upon at this level, given that this is their first season in the Bundesliga.
Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has dismissed his side’s chances in the title race. However, at this stage he will know full well that there is a possibility of his squad doing the impossible. The odds are against them, but as a team that were aiming for a mid-table finish at the start of the season, there is little pressure on them to succeed, which could work to their advantage over the next few months.
Despite their status, RB Leipzig shouldn’t be written off. They have proved during the first half of the season that they can cope against the league’s best sides, having claimed victories over Borussia Dortmund and Hertha Berlin already. They are more than capable of causing an upset in Wednesday’s match and Bayern are just as capable of falling short.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side seem to be back to their best following struggles last month, in which they drew with Hoffenheim and lost to Borussia Dortmund. However, their four Bundesliga victories since that defeat have come against mid-table clubs and relegation candidates. Leipzig will put up a much tougher fight in their midweek clash and only then will be know whether Bayern have truly recovered from their slump.
There are likely to be plenty of twists and turns in the title race in 2017. Yet, a victory for Leipzig could tip the balance. Not only will it confirm that they are capable of taking the title, but it will also prove to Bayern that they are no longer invincible in the Bundesliga.