Leverkusen, in second place and desperate to cut Bayern’s lead, completely outplayed the visitors in the first half, with their high pressing game wreaking havoc in the Bayern defence.
Despite playing without a centre forward, having surprisingly left both Victor Boniface and Patrik Schick on the bench, Xabi Alonso’s team looked far sharper than Bayern, who had travelled to Glasgow midweek for a 2-1 win over Celtic in their Champions League playoff first leg.
It was the first time in the Bundesliga since 1992 when stat collection started, that Bayern were without a shot on goal for an entire first half.
They twice hit the woodwork through Jeremie Frimpong and Nathan Tella, with Florian Wirtz, who tried his luck from 50 yards out with a looping shot, orchestrating almost every attack that kept Bayern pinned in their own half.
Bayern’s Manuel Neuer, making his 550th appearance for the club across all competitions, came to the rescue in stoppage time, blocking Amine Adli’s point-blank shot before Wirtz fired wide on the rebound.
