Leverkusen Smash Bayern Munich 3-0 To Take Control Of The Title ...

Harry Kane looks on disappointed after Bayern Munich lost 3-0 to title competitors Bayer Leverkusen. ... [+] (Photo by Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images)

Bayer Leverkusen has taken a decisive lead at the top of the Bundesliga table by beating Bayern Munich 3-0 at the BayArena on Saturday. As a result, that never really seemed in doubt; Leverkusen won thanks to goals by Josip Stanisic (18’), Alejandro Grimaldo (50’) and Jeremie Frimpong (95’).

Although it is only five points, it feels that Leverkusen has taken total control over the Bundesliga title race. Not only do they have a five-point advantage, but Die Werkself also holds an extra advantage by having a better goal differential.

Furthermore, and this differentiates Leverkusen’s title challenge from what we have seen in the past from Dortmund, Bayer actually managed to beat Bayern decisively at home and took a point away from the Allianz Arena. Sure, it shouldn’t matter whether you beat your direct competitor, but from a psychological standpoint, this will put Leverkusen firmly in the driver’s seat the rest of the way.

The most impressive part of this victory was how it came about. Bayern had the majority of the possession for the start of the game but, for the most part, had no idea what to do with all the possession handed to them by Xabi Alonso’s side.

“We delivered our worst performance on the most important day,” Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said to the Abendzeitung after the game. Without a doubt, Bayern never had an answer to Leverkusen’s tactics, and while Die Werkself looked like a team, the Rekordmeister looked like a collection of individuals.

It was by design that Bayern was allowed to pass the ball around ineffectually in midfield. And ineffectual it was as Harry Kane finished the first half with just seven touches overall and none inside the penalty box. The English striker, who arrived at Bayern to win titles, was entirely out of the game, and the visitors from Munich finished the game with an xG of 0.27.

Jeremie Frimpong celebrates after making it 3-0 for Leverkusen in the Bundesliga Topspiel against ... [+] Bayern Munich. (Photo by Stefan Brauer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Kane, of course, was brought in by Bayern this summer in a deal worth more than $100 million to secure titles for years to come. The Englishman, in turn, joined the Rekordmeister to win something finally. Now, there is a good chance Kane might have to wait another year.

Indeed, Bayern’s quest to sign a new world-class No. 9 has come at the cost of leaving other areas of the squad limited. It is perhaps telling that Stanisic, who is on loan from Bayern, was the scorer of Leverkusen’s opening goal. In fact, with Stanisic leaving on loan last summer, Bayern was forced to sign Sacha Boey as a replacement this winter in a deal worth more than $30 million. And the French wing-back was directly involved in the opening goal as well as he lost sight of Stanisic just before he scored.

“I don't score goals that often, so you want to celebrate,” Stanisic said after the game when asked about his goal and refusing to celebrate out of respect for being on loan from Bayern. “But out of respect, I didn't. It was a very, very important win, but we have to keep our feet on the ground. The season is still long; there are only five points, and a lot can still happen.”

Could a Bayern player have ended Bayern’s title hopes this season? The way the opening goal came about is indeed a metaphor for how Bayern’s season has gone. Although the Rekordmeister is playing a relatively good season, the way Leverkusen has performed, it might require an almost perfect campaign to win the title, and that might be just a step too far for this Bayern side.

Does that mean the title race is over? “We are not going to throw the towel on whatever matchday,” Bayern head coach Thomas Tuchel said after the game. “For us, the gap has changed, but the approach won't. We have to keep going; we have to get better.”

As we saw last season, one should never fully count out Bayern. Indeed, Leverkusen learned the hard way in 2000 and 2002 that the title isn’t won until you hold up the Meisterschale on the final matchday. But today’s win will be a statement of intent by Die Werkself, who are now in complete control of the title race.

Manuel Veth is the host of the Bundesliga Gegenpressing Podcast and the Area Manager USA at Transfermarkt. He has also been published in the Guardian, Newsweek, Howler, Pro Soccer USA, and several other outlets. Follow him on Twitter: @ManuelVeth and on Threads: @manuveth