Leon, do you know the meaning of the German word ‘Angstgegner’ (nemesis)?
Yes, I know it (he grins).
You could say: You are the ‘Angstgegner’ of Bayern Munich. You’ve scored four goals in five games against the best defence in the Bundesliga – alongside RB Leipzig. How do you explain your record? You haven’t scored more goals against any other Bundesliga club…
I think FC Bayern are one of the best teams in the world. Every time I play against them, it feels like a Champions League final. I automatically give 110 per cent. I’m a young player and if I want to make it to the next step, I need to perform against these teams because these are top notch teams. That’s why games like this are so important.
You were the matchwinner in the clash in Munich last November with your two goals. The 2-1 victory was the first win for the Werkself in Munich since 2012. What can you remember of that day?
That day was a very special day for me and I’ll definitely never be able to forget that. The three points were important for the team and for the club as well – above all as we were very lucky too. But anyway. It was a great moment for us and for the fans.
You scored the first goal with your right and the second with your left foot.
It was just an instinct when I got the ball with both foot I just shoot because I know: If you don’t shoot, you’ll never score (he laughs). After the first goal, I celebrated like I’ve done so often. And when I scored the 2-1, I felt that we were going to win. Then I did the W for Win with my fingers. The best goal against Bayern Munich was definitely the free kick in the home game that we won 3-1 in the end (2 February 2019, ed.).
Do you prefer games against top teams like Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Leipzig? You’ve scored against all three this season…
I live for games like that. I want to leave a legacy for my people of Jamaica and to show them that there’s hope and the possibility for people if you work hard to achieve something. And these are the games I need to do it in to showcase my talent and showcase that I want to reach to the top.
The coronavirus pandemic is also affecting life in your homeland at the moment. How are your relatives getting on in Jamaica?
Fortunately they are all healthy. I’m in daily contact with with my family. There’s lockdown in many places in Jamaica. They’re not allowed to leave their houses or neighbourhoods. Jamaica is a small country that unfortunately doesn’t have the necessary resources to fight the virus. That’s why I try to help out with food or money as much I can from so far away.
Let’s finish with a look to the future: Nobody knows if and when the Bundesliga season will be completed. How do you manage to maintain motivation in light of that?
I think positively, I’m basically a positive person. Of course, I miss being on the pitch with the team and being cheered on by the fans. But when it gets going again, we’ll be ready as a team.
Bayern Munich come to the BayArena this Saturday with an 11-point lead in the Bundesliga as they look to take a step closer to the title. As imperious as they may seem, a weakness has emerged of late that the Werkself proved they can exploit in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal in the Champions League. Leverkusen are also looking to make it four Bundesliga home games unbeaten against the Bavarians. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the 15:30 CET kick-off in our matchday news.
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Another home game, another top opponent - another marker? Three days after their convincing performance in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg, Bayer 04 continue their Bundesliga campaign with an equally high-calibre fixture. Matchday 26 sees league leaders Bayern Munich visit the sold-out BayArena. Ahead of the clash, head coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke about a comparison between Arsenal and the Bavarians, Bayern's high-scoring performance in Europe's premier club competition and a return to the squad for one Werkself player.
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High spirits and previously untold stories: Around 100 Bayer 04 fans packed the Schwadbud fan pub in the east stand of the BayArena on Thursday evening to be there in person for the first instalment of the new series of events entitled “Rudi lädt ein” (Rudi invites you). They listened intently as long-serving Werkself players Gonzalo Castro and Stefan Kießling chatted with record appearance-maker Rüdiger Vollborn and presenter and stadium announcer Tobias Ufer about their many years together at the club, shared amusing anecdotes and revealed dressing room secrets. Anyone who missed the premiere can already look forward to the second instalment – on 12 May, Rudi will be testing the expert knowledge of Bayer 04 fans during a quiz night.
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The Bundesliga home game against VfL Wolfsburg in the first half of the season was one of those classic ‘days to forget’ for Bayer 04 Women. It started with goalkeeper Charlotte Voll being shown a red card in the first minute of the game, and following a further sending-off, coach Roberto Pätzold's 9-women side ended up losing 5-1 to last season's runners-up. At 18.30 CET on Sunday, they'll have the chance to exact revenge at the AOK Stadium - and pick up valuable points in the race for third place.
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They're well on their way to becoming German champions for the 35th time and once again proved their incredible class in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. This Saturday, 14 March (kick-off: 15.30 CET), Bayern Munich will be the visitors to the BayArena. It'll be a meeting of the two Bundesliga teams with the most dominant styles of play. A look at our opponents shows the visitors from the Bavarian capital have many strengths - but are also vulnerable.
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