I think what will keep the rivalry alive are the matches between Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich. The scores in these matches will directly affect the championship. In addition, the performance of teams such as Frankfurt and Dortmund, which can prevent them, will also be decisive. I would like Bayer Leverkusen to win. The championship needs a change now.
I think that indeed the biggest hurdle for Leverkusen for the moment is to get back out of the Christmas break and win the first game against Augsburg. The interruption seldomly benefits teams like Leverkusen when they are running like clockwork. If they can get out of the break and instantly beat Augsburg, it would be so important for the rest of the season. Psychologically I am a bit afraid because Bayern starts into the second half of the season with a home game, which they are unlikely to tie or lose. This could create some negative momentum, but of course I hope for Leverkusen to continue with their impressive performances.
This year, I think Leverkusen will receive a lot of support from outside Germany. I don't want to see Bayern Munich win the championship anymore. The league has become very boring now. 2024 will be very important for Bayer Leverkusen. If Xabi's system works, they will win the championship at the end of this year and remain the team that eventually eliminated Bayern. However, Bayern is very strong and the rotation pool is very wide. They have an ultra-spectacular striker: Harry Kane. That being the case, Bayern is still the biggest favourite.
The good thing is Xabi Alonso has a system that works, the bad thing is that systems stop working when the things that made the system work are gone. This is what could turn into a problem for Alonso when his players leave for the games with their national teams. There can also be injuries, which if a key player is affected cannot be underestimated as hardly any team has the player resources like Bayern Munich to make up for that without losing quality. The question about the validity of the system has been answered, it works. But whether all parts remain intact is the question now.