Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich may be without Harry Kane as they bid to seal the 2024/25 title at RB Leipzig on Matchday 32, but the home side’s automatic UEFA Champions League qualification is on the line as well. So where might the game be won and lost?
looks at some of the potentially decisive on-field tussles…
Xavi vs. Joshua Kimmich
Xavi has been limited to just 22 Bundesliga appearances this season due to a lengthy injury lay-off, but he remains very much the focal point of the team. With nine league goals and five assists – all but three of which have come in 2025 – he is an ever-present danger in the final third.
Given license to roam in Leipzig’s attack, his movement, dribbling ability and eye for the killer pass can trouble even the meanest of defences – and Bayern’s is just that, with only 29 Bundesliga goals conceded this term. The Dutch youngster enjoys operating in the space behind the main striker, which means he’ll likely lock horns with Kimmich.
There is a reason why Kimmich has played almost 300 minutes more than any other Bayern player in the Bundesliga this season: he’s the beating heart of the team.
The 30-year-old can attack (he has two goals and five assists), defend (only four players in the league have covered more ground than his 353.8 kilometres), spray passes (with a 92.9 percent completion rate) and generally drive his side on with his unwavering will to win.
If he’s on his game, as he usually is, Xavi will find it tough to work any kind of magic.
David Raum vs. Konrad Laimer
Thankfully, from a Leipzig perspective, Xavi is not the only weapon in their armoury. David Raum has not featured in the Bundesliga since 5 April owing to a hamstring complaint, but he was an unused substitute last weekend in a 4-0 humbling at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Having had another full week to work on his recovery it seems likely that interim coach Zsolt Lőw will field the 27-year-old from the start, especially with fourth-placed Freiburg two points ahead and sixth-placed Borussia Dortmund just one behind.
Leipzig need to win, then, if they are to maintain their push for Champions League qualification, and their chances of doing so improve greatly with their left-back on the pitch. Only five players have delivered more crosses than the Germany international’s 74 this season, even though he has been limited to 20 appearances.
That might not be a telling number at first glance, but it is indicative of his attacking intent and ability to get into crossing positions in the first place. One goal and four assists are a respectable return from an injury hit campaign, while his presence at the back is also notable: Leipzig have conceded an average of 1.1 goals per game with Raum this term, and 1.81 per match without him.
David Raum’s set-piece deliveries could prove vital to Leipzig against Bayern. – DFL/GettyImages/Christian Kaspar-Bartke
The man tasked with keeping him quiet is one of Bayern’s most unsung, underrated players: Konrad Laimer. A central midfielder by trade, the Austrian has been retrofitted as a right-back, largely due to injuries to Sacha Boey and Josip Stanišić.
He has succeeded to the extent that he is now first choice for the role, with Kompany praising him as “exceptional” in the first half of the season.
Tactically disciplined, positionally aware and deceptively quick – Alphonso Davies, Leroy Sané and Kingsley Coman are the only Bayern players faster than the 27-year-old – Laimer also stands out thanks to his tenacity and never-say-die attitude. The fact he is in the top 20 league-wide for fouls committed (33), and the top 10 for yellow cards received (eight) are testament to that.
Castello Lukeba vs. Michael Olise
Lukeba may have the most thankless task of the entire matchday in trying to keep Olise quiet. With El Chadaille Bitshiabu unavailable following his red card against Frankfurt last weekend and Willi Orbán still absent with injury, the French youngster is likely to be asked to deal with Bayern’s standout winger this season.
Strong, quick and robust in the tackle, Lukeba has impressed in his second season at the Red Bull Arena. And while it has been a challenging campaign, including the league-phase exit in the Champions League and Marco Rose’s departure as head coach, the 22-year-old has nevertheless been a key part of a side that has conceded just 42 goals in the Bundesliga, a figure bettered only by Bayern and defending champions Bayer Leverkusen.
As promising as that sounds, Olise has been unplayable for much of 2024/25. It has been a hugely impressive debut season at Bayern for the France international, with nine Bundesliga goals and a league-leading 12 assists giving him a direct goal contribution every 98 minutes on average.
While Serge Gnabry, Sané and Coman vie for Bayern’s left-wing berth, Olise is undroppable on the right. Always eager to take on his marker either with his speed or a drop of the shoulder, the 23-year-old might not get behind the opposition’s defence every time he gets forward – but make no mistake, he does get behind it in every single game.
Lukas Klostermann vs. Thomas Müller
Kane’s suspension for yellow card accumulation means Bayern’s razor-sharp cutting edge may be blunted slightly. Gnabry is a candidate to replace him, having been deployed as a lone striker in previous seasons, but it seems likely that Müller will get the nod as he continues his farewell tour.
Although largely used sparingly as a substitute this term, the 35-year-old still has a goal and four assists to his name, while his movement and reading of the game remain as potent as ever.
Klostermann knows all about Müller from their time together in the Germany national team, and is a wily, experienced campaigner in his own right. A long-serving cornerstone of the Leipzig side, his composure and know-how will be crucial in keeping tabs on Müller and marshalling an otherwise youthful backline.
Loïs Openda vs. Eric Dier
Openda began on the bench for Leipzig against Frankfurt last weekend, but will surely start from the off as Leipzig go for the points on Saturday. The Belgian was on target in the reverse fixture in Munich as the teams traded early goals inside the first five minutes, one of his nine strikes in the Bundesliga this season.
The fifth-fastest player in Germany this term with a top speed of 36.64 km/h (22.76 mph), the forward’s pace will be an integral element of Leipzig’s game plan as they look to exploit spaces on the counter-attack given that he is considerably faster than both Dier and Minjae Kim. Deceptively strong in the air despite his 5’10” frame, Openda will also provide a target for Raum to aim for with his deliveries from out wide.
Dier, meanwhile, has filled the centre-back void admirably following Dayot Upamecano’s season-ending injury. “He’s a player with a lot of experience who knows what to do in key moments,” said Kompany after handing the 31-year-old just his second league start of the season in January. “Players like Eric have character and always prioritise the team.”
Robust, positionally aware and with excellent distribution on the ball, if Dier can keep Openda in check, Leipzig will struggle.
