Bayer Leverkusen heads to Bayern Munich in the Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday hoping to derail an otherwise successful first season for Bayern coach Vincent Kompany. “Of course this game’s a big one, it’s intense when we play each other,” Leverkusen wing back Jeremie Frimpong told The Associated Press in a recent interview.

Hello! The UEFA Champions League returns with the first batch of round of 16 matchups, perhaps most notably with the latest edition of the Madrid derby on Tuesday. I'm Pardeep Cattry with an update to start your week.

It is not without irony that Bayern Munich's last victory over Bayer Leverkusen was a factor in the appointment of Xabi Alonso as Leverkusen coach. Bayern's 4-0 in September 2022 was the last match for Gerardo Seoane as Leverkusen coach as he was repalced by Alonso,

Former Bayern munich midfielder and current Bayern Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso is well aware of the mystique that his ex-club hold in the Champions League. While Bayer Leverkusen has done well against Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga (two draws) and the DFB-Pokal (win),

Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen will clash in an all-German showdown in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. The first leg takes place on March 5 at the Allianz Arena. This is the first all-German showdown in the Champions League since Bayern beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the 2012-13 final.