For Bayern, the cup journey is over once again!

The Munich team lost the early final against defending champions Leverkusen – 0-1 in the round of 16. This means that Bayern will miss the final in Berlin for the fifth year in a row (previously three second-round embarrassments and one quarter-final knockout).

Without 20-goal striker Kane (torn hamstring), coach Vincent Kompany is relying on a dual leadership with Musiala and Olise as well as Sané and Coman on the wings. But after just 17 minutes, Manuel Neuer (38) ruins all plans.

Neuer rams himself off the pitch with red – and Bayern out of the cup!

17th minute: The keeper has completely wrong timing after a long ball and clears Frimpong violently with a body check. Referee Osmers doesn’t hesitate for a second and pulls out a red card.

BILD referee Thorsten Kinhöfer: “Definitely red. A mixture of rough play and thwarting of a goal-scoring opportunity. “Each one on its own would be red.”

For the 2014 world champion, it is the first (!) expulsion in his 866th professional game. In response, coach Kompany takes winger Sané off the pitch and brings him with him Daniel Peretz (24) the actual number 3 in the goal!

The Israeli (with the club since summer 2023) is only making his third competitive appearance for Bayern because Ulreich is out for personal reasons. At the end of last season, Peretz even wanted to be loaned out, but the club decided to start the season with a strong goalkeeper trio – and keep Peretz.

First Neuer-Red, then bank crash! After a Goretzka foul (54th), emotions run high on the benches. The otherwise so level-headed Bayern sports director Christoph Freund is completely out of control, and Leverkusen’s assistant coach Sebastian Parrilla is also gesticulating wildly on the sidelines. Result: Both receive yellow from referee Osmers.

He didn’t see that coming!Painful effort from the linesman

When outnumbered, the Bayern offensive actually have better chances than before they were sent off. Laimer (32nd), Goretzka (43rd) and Kim (45th + 3) lost the lead. Frimpong (33rd) and Wirtz (45th) forgave surprisingly little for the double winner.

After the break, Schick (for Andrich), who was substituted at half-time, had to go down again after just 15 minutes due to calf problems.

But substitute Tella turned out to be a stroke of luck for Bayer, heading Leverkusen after Grimaldo’s cross in the quarter-finals (69′) and Alonso’s team took a step further towards defending their title. And Bayern won their first title of the season!