13th-placed Union Berlin will look to return to winning ways when they host second-placed Bayern Munich on Saturday.
Bayern Munich will look to end the season on a high despite failing to defend their Bundesliga title this term. As a result, expect them to push hard for all three points when they hit the road to square up against Union Berlin.
The Berlin-based club are 13th on the points table with 29 points in their 29 outings. They are just three points clear of the drop zone and cannot afford to drop points with just five games to go in the season. Union Berlin are heading into this one on the back of a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Augsburg.
The home team have not won any of their last three league outings while collecting four points in their last five league games. As a result, they will have to return to winning ways or things could get very complicated for them.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich are second on the points table with 63 points in their 29 outings. While the title race is over, with Bayer Leverkusen ending the German giants’ long streak, Die Roten will look to ensure they finish second, with third-placed VfB Stuttgart level on points with them.
After suffering back-to-back defeats, Bayern Munich returned to winning ways in the league against FC Koln last weekend. They followed it up with a 1-0 win over Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals and have managed to make it to the semi-finals.
The German giants will look to continue in similar fashion when they face Union Berlin away from home. Meanwhile, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Union Berlin
The home team are without the services of Jakob Busk. Meanwhile, the availability of Yorbe Vertessen, Jerome Roussillon, Josip Juranovic, and Rani Khedira will be assessed ahead of kickoff. They do have a boost as Robin Gosens and Lucas Tousart are both back available after serving a suspension.
The home team will go ahead with the 3-5-2 formation, where Frederik Ronnow will start in goal. Danilho Doekhi, Diogo Leite, and Kevin Vogt will form the back three. They will look to keep it tight at the back and will be supported by wing-backs Christopher Trimmel and Robin Gosens.
In the centre of the park, Rani Khedira will take charge as the defensive midfielder. He will be a shield in front of the back line. He will have the support of Lucas Tousart and Andras Schafer in his support as they aim to keep Bayern’s midfield quiet. In attack, Brenden Aaronson should continue alongside Mikkel Kaufmann.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Ronnow; Doekhi, Vogt, Leite; Trimmel, Tousart, Khedira, Schafer, Gosens; Aaronson, Kaufmann
Bayern Munich
The visitors will be without the services of Kingsley Coman, Sacha Boey, Tarek Buchmann, Gabriel Marusic and Bouna Sarr. Meanwhile, the availability of Serge Gnabry will depend on a late fitness test.
Thomas Tuchel is expected to rotate his team for this fixture as they recently squared up against Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League and there is very little to pay for in the Bundesliga
Bayern Munich will stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Manuel Neuer will be in goal. Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies will be the full-backs, while Matthijs de Ligt and Eric Dier will take charge in the heart of the defence.
Aleksandar Pavlovic and Leon Goretzka will form the double pivot in front of the back four. Meanwhile, Thomas Muller and Mathys Tel will feature on the flanks and will look to provide width to their attacks. Jamal Musiala will be the attacking midfielder behind star striker Harry Kane.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kimmich, De Ligt, Dier, Davies; Pavlovic, Goretzka; Muller, Musiala, Tel; Kane
Key Stats
- Bayern Munich have won seven out of the last ten outings against Union Berlin. The other three matches have ended in a draw.
- Bayern Munich have been unbeaten in their nine league games against the home team.
- Union Berlin have already lost 16 league games this season, and they are just one defeat away from equalling a club record.
- For the first time since the 2011/12 campaign, the visitors have lost four away matches in the Bundesliga.
- The away team have conceded 15 goals in their six away matches since the turn of the calendar.
Player to Watch
Harry Kane
Kane’s wait for his first major title continues as Bayern Munich have failed to win the Bundesliga for the first time in 12 years. While the collective trophy might still be missing, his individual performances have been on another level.
The former Tottenham striker has featured in 29 league outings and has contributed towards 41 goals. He has found the back of the net on 32 occasions and will be eager to add to it in the next few matches. Given the kind of form he has been, the 30-year-old will be the one to watch out for.
Prediction
Union Berlin 0-2 Bayern Munich
Union Berlin have only won one out of their last five league games, and they have not won any of their last three outings. While Bayern Munich might not have been at their very best this season, they might still have enough in their tanks to take down the 13th-placed team.
The outgoing champions have heading into on the back of an all-important win in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final, and they will be quite confident about their chances in this fixture. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for the away team.
