Fresh from an enforced break due to the coronavirus pandemic, Jamaica international Leon Bailey will be hoping to have a telling impact against runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, similar to when the teams last met.

In a surprise 2-1 win for Bayer Leverkusen, it was the speedy winger who found the back of the net twice.  Bailey opened the scoring after sprinting onto Kevin Volland’s neat through ball, tore past David Alaba and Benjamin Pavard to unleash a right-footed thunderbolt beyond the outstretched glove of Manuel Neuer. Thomas Muller equalised but another lightning counterattack immediately afterward, saw Volland tee up Bailey again, this time to score a left-footed rocket.

More than two months after the fixture was scheduled to be played, the teams will meet on Saturday at BayArena.  The layoff has been a time of frustration for both players and fans alike, but the Jamaican reveals that he also took the time to reflect.

“From a mental perspective, coping with the lockdown was a bit chill for me because I had my family here,” Bailey told inews.

“It gave me a lot of time to reflect on everything that I needed to concentrate on more and, you know, just reflect on who I am.”

The winger had struggled to get going early season, his progress disrupted by injury, and then two red cards.

“To come back from injury is always a difficult thing to do. I’ve overcome it a lot of times, I’ve come back, I’ve scored goals and been [there] in important moments for the team, giving assists. So I’ve overcome them, it’s just for me to keep that going in a steady way.”