On the evening that the mercurial Franck Ribery set the record for the most appearances by a French player in the Bundesliga, his 100th Bayern goal was the difference in an energetic, enthralling clash.
The game began at a lightning tempo. Leverkusen had lined out with their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, attempting to press Munich's defensive line with their four attackers. In the 2nd minute, this pressure led to a brilliant chance for their top scorer Karim Bellarabi to break the deadlock. Jerome Boateng drove his clearance against Xabi Alonso, and the ball broke nicely for Bellarabi. He did the hard part, chipping the ball over Manuel Neuer, but covering full back Juan Bernat did well to clear the ball off of his goal line.
5 minutes later, and another chance went begging for the visitors. Hakan Calhanoglu and Heung Min Son combined well down the right hand side, before the latter squared for Stefan Kiessling, who failed to connect when any touch would have broken the deadlock.
Bayern finally came into the game, and began to dominate the possession, with that Pep Guardiola style of play flourishing against the pressing system of Roger Schmidt. A curling effort from Robert Lewandowski was the first sign of danger, and Bernd Leno had to be alive to get a hand to Ribery's clipped cross.
It took another important intervention from Brazilian full back Wendell to keep Arjen Robben from firing home. Bayer were really on the back-foot at this stage, with the likes of Son, Kiessling and Bellarabi not seeing much of the ball. Although they kept Mario Gotze extremely quiet, the usual suspects of Robben and Ribery were really taking the game to their opponents.
Coming up to half time, it took a brilliant last-ditch Rafinha block to deny Heung Min Son, as Leverkusen looked to take the lead before the break. Stefan Kiessling wasted an excellent opportunity, when he failed to pick out either Hakan Calhanoglu or Heung Min Son, who were both present in the 18 yard box. Bayern retaliated, with the effusive Robben hammering home, only for the goal to be ruled out for a foul on Leno. The sides went in level at the break.
Bayern started the second half brightly, and broke the deadlock five minutes into it. A short corner was whipped in by Rafinha, who's cross was cleared only as far as Ribery, who volleyed home superbly from 16 yards. The finish was devastating, and resulted in a tighter, more restricting final half an hour.
Although there was some nice link-up play on display, clear cut chances were hard to come by. After 80 minutes of intense 'gegenpressing', Leverkusen looked flat, tired, and out of ideas. Bellarabi hacked down Rode in a tough challenge, which incensed some of the Bayern players. That was the last action of the game, as Bayern triumphed for the 11th time this season in the Bundesliga.
Leverkusen's inability to capitalise early in the match when they were on top cost them, while Bayern will be content that without playing at their peak, they still managed to secure a victory over a potential banana skin, and maintain their unbeaten record.