Saturday evening will be an emotional occasion for a couple of people as Bayern Munich take on domestic foes Borussia Dortmund in the final of the DFB Pokal at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
This will be Pep Guardiola’s last match as manager of Bayern Munich before he makes the move to Manchester City in the summer. Also Dortmund captain Mats Hummels will also play his last match for the side, before switching over to Bayern Munich.
For Bayern Munich, this match is a matter of redemption as they try to make up for their failure to win a Champions League title under Guardiola.
However, it is more of a do-or-die situation for Dortmund. They gave Bayern Munich a good fight for the Bundesliga title but ultimately fell short in the end. They also fell short in the Europa League, losing in the quarterfinal against former boss Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. Thus, this is a must win game for them, if they do not want a trophy-less season.
Team News & Tactical Brief
Bayern Munich
The Bavarians have a few big-name injury worries, but their squad looks strong enough to deal with the problem. Star winger Arjen Robben looks set to miss out on the DFB Pokal final as he is suffering from an injury in the adductor region. Another key absentee is Mario Gotze, who might be on the move this summer.
Xabi Alonso is a doubtful case for the match but the Bayern coaching staff expect him to start the match if he clears a late fitness test. Alonso is set to play as the defensive midfielder, often slipping in between the two centrebacks to form a back three. Former Juventus man Arturo Vidal is expected to play Alonso’s role if he does not clear the fitness test, with Thiago Alcantara operating as an attacking midfielder.
However, Bayern may have to tweak their game a little bit if Alonso does not play. The Spaniard has the ability to play a range of long accurate passes which help them to stretch the opposition. Vidal, however, is a different kind of player. We can expect him to do a lot of leg work in defence.
Javi Martinez is also doubtful for the match as he has an ankle injury. In his absence, David Alaba could shift into central defence, with Juan Bernat playing as a left back.
Bayern Munich have a lot of creative impetus in their side, with the presence of Franck Ribery, Thomas Muller, and Douglas Costa. The latter two have been in form this year, and have played crucial roles in bringing down difficult oppositions.
Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski will be looking to latch on to any half chance that he gets and score against his former side. The Polish striker has had a brilliant year, scoring 44 goals from 51 appearances in all competitions.
Possible Starting XI (4-1-4-1): Neuer; Bernat, Alaba, Boateng, Lahm; Alonso; Ribery, Vidal, Muller, Costa; Lewandowski.
Borussia Dortmund
The big absentee for Dortmund in midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who looks to be set to leave the club in the summer transfer window. Gundogan plays a major role in creating chances for Dortmund and manager Thomas Tuchel will be ruing his absence. However, Die Borussien have managed for most of the season without the Germany international’s help.
It will be an emotional night for Mats Hummels, who will switch over to Bayern Munich in the summer. Hummels had moved from the Bavarian side to Dortmund in 2008. Since then, he has gone on to become the captain of the Dortmund side — something that will make his departure all the more difficult.
Dortmund have a lot of pace and creativity in their side, with the presence of the likes of Shinji Kagawa, Marco Reus, Gonzalo Castro, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. However, they lack the muscle in midfield to bully the Bayern players.
Julian Weigl’s role will be crucial to Tuchel’s side, as he looks to act as the link between defence and midfield. His dirty work in defence will provide the platform for creative players like Kagawa and Castro to find gaps in the Bayern defence.
Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be playing his third consecutive DFB Pokal final. However, the Gabon international has never been able to win the competition, and will be eager to break his duck. Aubameyang has been lethal this season, scoring 40 goals from 46 appearances in all competitions.
Possible Starting XI (4-3-3): Burki; Schmelzer, Hummels, Sokratis, Piszczek; Kagawa, Weigl, Castro; Reus, Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan.
Key Stats
- This will be Dortmund’s fourth DFB Pokal final in five years.
- Bayern Munich have won 19 of their last 22 DFB Pokal matches.
- Dortmund, on the other hand, are on a five match winning streak in the DFB Pokal.
- Bayern have not conceded a single goal in their last three DFB Pokal matches.
- Dortmund have been unable to defeat Bayern Munich in their last five matches in all competitions.
Players to watch out for
Thomas Muller
The Germany international is one of the best players Bayern have, as he is capable of playing in different positions on the pitch. He can operate as a striker, on either wings, as a no.10, and even as a central midfielder. His capabilities as a midfielder have been a find this season, but it is his ability to play different positions that makes Bayern so dangerous. Muller will be constantly looking to swap positions with Douglas Costa, and confuse the Dortmund defenders.
Mats Hummels
Hummels might be going over to the enemy’s side after this game, but he has one last job left at Dortmund. A lot will depend on how he approaches this game. Hummels is the captain of the Dortmund side, and his attitude towards this game is likely to reflect on the rest of his team. He also needs to be alert during the game and coordinate his back four well in order to keep the Bayern attackers out.
Prediction
Bayern Munich 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
This game looks like it might just trickle down to extra time, but Bayern Munich’s squad are just too strong for Dortmund to overcome at the moment — especially with the absence of Gundogan. Also, the Bavarians will be doubly pumped up to give manager Guardiola a final goodbye present in the form of the DFB Cup title.
Blast from the past
