Nathan Tella’s header secured Bayer Leverkusen’s place in the DFB Pokal quarter-finals with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
The match saw an early twist when Bayern’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer received a red card in the 17th minute.
The game started with both sides opting for unconventional line-ups: Bayern, missing injured Harry Kane, deployed a 4-2-4 formation with Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise in central roles. Meanwhile, Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso used Florian Wirtz as a false nine. Wirtz nearly gave the visitors an early lead, dragging a shot wide in the 11th minute.
The turning point came when Neuer charged out of his box and clumsily collided with Jeremie Frimpong, earning a straight red card. Substitute keeper Daniel Peretz replaced Neuer and kept Bayern in the game, denying Frimpong’s close-range effort in the 33rd minute.
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Despite being a man down, Bayern created chances, with Kingsley Coman and Min-jae Kim both coming close. Leverkusen introduced Patrik Schick at halftime, but he left injured, paving the way for Tella to enter.
Tella made an instant impact, heading in Alejandro Grimaldo’s pinpoint cross in the 69th minute. Bayern pushed for an equalizer, but Leverkusen’s defense held firm, securing their advancement.
With this win, Alonso’s unbeaten cup run continues, while Bayern’s Pokal drought since 2020 extends another year.
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