In a surprising turn of events, Bayern Munich faced an early exit from the German Cup as they lost 1-0 at home to defending champions Bayer Leverkusen. This match marked a significant moment for Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who was sent off for the first time in his extensive career, which has included 124 international matches for Germany. Neuer received a straight red card in the 17th minute after committing a foul on Jeremie Frimpong, denying him a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
Bayern, missing their star striker Harry Kane due to a hamstring injury sustained against Borussia Dortmund, struggled to capitalize on their chances in the first half despite showing a strong performance. Leverkusen, under the management of Xabi Alonso, displayed resilience and patience, ultimately taking the lead in the second half. After the substitution of Patrik Schick, who had to leave the field with a calf injury, Nathan Tella came on and scored the decisive goal in the 69th minute with a well-placed header from Álex Grimaldo’s cross.
Following the match, Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich expressed disappointment, acknowledging the pain of losing the first title of the season. This defeat is another setback for Bayern, who were eliminated in the second round of the tournament last year.
Leverkusen’s victory further solidified Alonso’s success against his former club, having never lost to them in five encounters as their coach. Other notable results from the competition included Werder Bremen’s narrow win over Darmstadt and Arminia Bielefeld’s surprising triumph over Freiburg.
Despite this loss, Bayern Munich has the opportunity to focus on their league performance and the remaining competitions, aiming to bounce back and continue their pursuit of more trophies this season. There is still hope for the team’s fans as they look to recover and build momentum moving forward.