Leon Goretzka's Remarkable Comeback Story at Bayern Munich
Nine months ago, Leon Goretzka appeared to have no future at Bayern Munich. For much of the past two years, his career at the German giants seemed to be winding down. Yet on Tuesday night, as he left the BayArena pitch towards the end of Bayern's 2-0 Champions League win against Bayer Leverkusen (5-0 on aggregate), he was met with thunderous applause from the traveling supporters and a grateful embrace from head coach Vincent Kompany.
Goretzka delivered a masterclass over both legs of the tie. While Bayern's victory was a collective effort with Harry Kane, Alphonso Davies, Dayot Upamecano, and Jamal Musiala all excelling in different aspects, it was Goretzka who provided the steady, physical foundation upon which Bayern's superiority was built.
Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen faced an almost impossible task, trailing 3-0 from the first leg and missing their star player Florian Wirtz through injury. Though there were moments when Bayern's defense looked vulnerable, Goretzka consistently shut down any signs of a potential comeback.
After 30 minutes, he compensated for Joshua Kimmich's midfield error by rushing back deep into his own half and executing a sliding tackle on Patrik Schick just as the forward prepared to shoot. Before halftime, he disrupted Leverkusen's final attack with a tackle near the touchline. After the break, when Jeremie Frimpong found space to run into, Goretzka charged in—all power and determination—taking both man and ball, sending Frimpong sprawling across the grass.
This was vintage Goretzka, the original "Big Leon" version, and it represented the culmination of a recent surge in form that few anticipated.
Goretzka's Bayern career has appeared to be over for some time. During the summer of 2023, then-coach Thomas Tuchel regularly excluded him during the club's Singapore tour, openly discussing the need to restructure the midfield and supporting Bayern's unsuccessful attempt to sign Joao Palhinha. Although Goretzka did start eight of Bayern's ten Champions League games during their run to the semi-finals last season, the sense that he no longer fit Tuchel's vision never dissipated. Neither did the negativity surrounding him or the perception that his best days were behind him.
He lost his place in the German national team and would likely have been sold by Bayern if not for his substantial contract that he was reluctant to leave behind.
Kompany's arrival last summer initially did little to improve his situation. This time, Bayern successfully acquired Palhinha, and Christoph Freund recalled telling Goretzka before Tuesday's match that his first-team opportunities would be limited: "We communicated openly with him in the summer that it would be difficult. But he said he wanted to take on the fight and he would stay here."
Rather than sulking, Goretzka responded with determination. He was deeply hurt by losing his place in the national team, and despite appearing in friendlies under Julian Nagelsmann in late 2023, he was left out of Germany's Euro 2024 squad. He wasn't even called up when his 20-year-old Bayern teammate Aleksandar Pavlovic withdrew due to tonsillitis just before the tournament.
It has been a humbling period for a player who has won the Bundesliga five times and the Champions League in 2020. Just three years ago, he would have commanded a place in almost any team in European football. Beyond Tuchel's tactical concerns, there were suspicions that Goretzka's legs had grown heavy and that he no longer justified the substantial salary Bayern awarded him in 2022.
By early October 2024, he had played less than an hour of Bundesliga football under Kompany and didn't start a game until the second week of November. Yet gradually, moment by moment, he forced his way back into the team.
While Palhinha has struggled with inconsistent form and injuries—most recently receiving a potentially costly red card against Bochum last weekend—Goretzka has only improved. With an eight-point advantage in the Bundesliga, Bayern faced a crucial test against Stuttgart in late February. Goretzka was dominant, physically imposing and energized, changing the game almost through sheer willpower. He pressed Angelo Stiller—a Bavarian-born, Bayern-developed midfielder tipped to return someday—into a terrible error before converting the loose ball to put his side 2-1 ahead.
When Bayern eventually clinch the Bundesliga title, Goretzka's celebration of that goal will be one of the defining images of their season. He ran toward the fans wild-eyed, pounding his chest in defiance.
"Hats off to his performances and how he handled the situation, that says a lot about his character," Freund added. "He took his chance and we will see what the future brings. There are certainly some guys who might have let their heads go down and said that the situation is not fair or not right. But he kept training, got the rewards, and is now playing really well. He's a really important factor for us at the moment. I see him as a role model for many footballers when the situation is a little more difficult."
Goretzka has embraced the challenge of revitalizing his career. His contract expires in 2026, and there's no guarantee he'll receive an extension. Having turned 30 in February, any new offer is unlikely to match his current terms. Nevertheless, his value to Bayern has certainly not diminished, and with Nagelsmann set to announce his Germany squad on Thursday, international football might again be within reach—particularly given his current form.
The Bayern-Leverkusen tie was more competitive than the scoreline suggests. Both legs hinged on emotional resilience and a series of small battles, all of which Bayern and Goretzka seemed to win comprehensively—physically, in the air, on the ground, and mentally—often with tackles strong enough to make a statement.
For all his physical prowess, perhaps Goretzka's finest moment was his most delicate touch. In the first half, an early Bayern attack ended with a high clearance, soaring almost to the height of the BayArena's roof. Goretzka tracked back, watching the ball spin under the floodlights as opponents pressed him, sensing an opportunity from a potential mistake.
The game was still alive then, with Bayern caught with too many players forward. A turnover, with only three players covering deep against Leverkusen's speed in attack, might have created an early chance and given Alonso's team the momentum they desperately needed.
But Goretzka was immaculate. He cushioned the ball as it descended from the sky, guiding it perfectly into Kimmich's path with a single touch. Just like that, another potential threat had been extinguished—another fire put out by a player who has reignited his own career against the odds.
