Frustrating evening sees Leverkusen fail to cut gap

Going into this weekend's Topspiel, both sides carried huge amounts of pressure on their backs. 

Bayer Leverkusen simply couldn't let Bayern München stretch the gap at the top to eight points, while Bayern were out to prove that they really can perform in a game of high magnitude. 

As expected, the tension was evident throughout. However, for large periods of the game, the league leaders once again looked bereft of ideas in possession against a side similar in ability. 

The hosts controlled the opening half and will consider themselves unfortunate not to have taken a lead into the first half. 

Jeremie Frimpong had the first chance of note in the 21st minute, heading off the top of the bar after a fantastic Florian Wirtz run ended with a Manuel Neuer save. 

Nathan Tella was next to strike the bar just four minutes later, meeting a Pierro Hincapie cross before his connection saw the ball sail behind Neuer's goal off the bar once again. 

With Florian Wirtz pulling the strings, it was the pace-setters who were on the back foot throughout the first half, and it was clear that a similar pattern was beginning to emerge in the second half as the decibels inside the BayArena began to rise. 

Tella came close once again in the 59th minute; however, his acrobatic effort after a scramble in the box was sent wide.

With Bayern on the back foot, Vincent Kompany made four changes in the 68th minute, bringing on Leon Goretzka, Josip Stanisic, Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry.

The pressure continued to be piled on top of the visitors, however. Failing to even enter the Leverkusen half, there was proving to be no respite for Bayern as the reigning champions attempted to reignite the title race. 

The encounter was reaching the closing stages in which die Werkself have stolen the show time and time again. And the hosts were agonisingly close to doing exactly that as Wirtz sent a shot wide of the post from close range.

Despite Leverkusen being the better of the two sides throughout the encounter, Bayern München take a point back to Bavaria while the gap at the top remains.

Without a single shot on target, questions are there once again regarding Bayern's record in these bigger games.

The hosts, on the other hand, will feel that they missed a golden opportunity to reignite the title race.