The first half of the German Bundesliga season has been marked by heavyweight surprises, notably Bayer Leverkusen’s prolonged dominance at the top of the standings under the guidance of Spanish tactician Xabi Alonso.
As we approach the league’s winter break, Bayer Leverkusen holds the pole position with an impressive 42 points, while Bayern Munich follows closely, trailing by just four points with a game in hand.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund finds itself in fifth place with 27 points.
The Bundesliga is currently on hiatus, set to resume on Friday, January 12, marking the end of the winter break.
However, a looming threat arises as the resumption coincides with the kickoff of the Asian Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations in mid-January.
The Asian Cup 2023 kicks off on January 12 and concludes on February 10, while the Africa Cup of Nations begins on January 13 and concludes on February 11.
The simultaneous occurrence of these tournaments is expected to impact several Bundesliga teams in the early stages of the second half, given the notable absence of key players representing their national teams.
The most affected
Bayer Leverkusen may face the most significant impact as they enter the new year without the services of five key players.
The Nigerian duo Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella, Burkina Faso’s Edmond Tapsoba, Ivory Coast’s Odilon Kossounou, and Moroccan Amin Adli are set to be absent.
Stuttgart, currently in third place with 34 points, faces a similar predicament, losing five players alongside Leverkusen.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich is set to lose three players, including the Cameroonian Choupo-Moting, Moroccan Nasser Mazraoui, and South Korean Kim Min-jae.
During these tournaments, Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich are slated to play six matches without these players, including a crucial clash at the BayArena on February 10, where Leverkusen faces their direct competitor, Bayern Munich.
The absence of these key players could prove challenging for Xabi Alonso’s squad, potentially providing an opportunity for Bayern Munich to turn the tide in their favor by securing three points from their clash with Leverkusen on February 10.
As the Bundesliga braces for this unique challenge, football enthusiasts around the world eagerly await the unfolding drama that could reshape the league’s dynamics in 2024.
