Bayern Munich can temporarily leapfrog Bayer Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga when they take on FC Koln at the RheinEnergieStadion on Friday.
The dreaded international break is behind us, and club football resumes on Friday. The Bundesliga will see Matchday 12 of the 2023/24 season kicking off on the day, with FC Koln hosting reigning champions Bayern Munich at the RheinEnergieStadion.
FC Koln and Bayern Munich are exactly opposite to each other on the table. The hosts are second from bottom after winning only one of their first 11 games, managing six points thus far. But Steffen Baumgart’s men have lost only one of their last four Bundesliga games, suggesting an upturn in form.
But it does not get easy for Koln, with the reigning champions being the next opponents for them. Thomas Tuchel’s men are second in the Bundesliga standings and are one of only two teams yet to lose a German top-flight game this term. Bayern Munich’s form has picked up after a slow start to the campaign, and they have won their last five league games, scoring at least thrice in each outing.
The corresponding fixture last season saw Bayern Munich eke out a narrow 2-1 win, with Jamal Musiala scoring the late winner. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
FC Koln
🎙️ Baumgart: Philipp Pentke, Jacob Christensen and Max Finkgräfe were all injured or sick. Everyone else is available. #KOEFCB #effzeh
— 1. FC Cologne (@fckoeln_en) November 22, 2023
Steffen Baumgart has a new injury concern hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Bayern Munich on Friday, the FC Koln manager will be bereft of the services of three first-team players.
Philipp Pentke and Jacob Christensen remain on the sidelines due to their respective knee injuries. Meanwhile, Mark Uth is the latest absentee due to a muscle injury he sustained ahead of the international break against VfL Bochum.
But Damion Downs (illness) and Dejan Ljubicic (knock) should have recovered from their respective issues to be available to take on Bayern Munich. The latter will likely pair up with Eric Marter in a defensive-minded double pivot.
The duo will aim to keep things tight in the middle of the park and contain Bayern Munich’s creative hub. Meanwhile, Marvin Schwabe will take his spot between the sticks, with Koln lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him. The defensive unit in front of him should feature Timo Hubers, Jeff Chabot, Dominique Heintz, and Rasmus Carstensen.
Florian Kainz will reprise a central role instead of taking his spot on the left flank. The FC Koln captain will look to pull the strings in the final third, with Jan Thielmann and Linton Maina playing around him. Finally, Davie Selke will spearhead the attack on Friday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Schwabe; Carstensen, Hubers, Chabot, Heintz; Martel, Ljubicic; Thielmann, Kainz, Maina; Selke
Bayern Munich
Like his counterpart in the FC Koln dugout, Thomas Tuchel has a pressing fitness issue to deal with ahead of the trip to the RheinEnergieStadion. The Bayern Munich manager will be without four first-team players on Friday.
Jamal Musiala is the most notable absentee, with the German international picking up a hamstring injury ahead of the international break. The youngster has joined Matthijs de Ligt (knee), Tarek Buchmann (thigh), and Gabriel Marusic (ACL) on the sidelines.
The boys are back in town 😍#MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/aysxuFpvss
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) November 22, 2023
Manuel Neuer returned to action a few weeks ago and will take his place between the sticks, with Bayern Munich lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him. Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae will be the two central defenders in de Ligt’s absence, with Noussair Mazraoui and Alphonso Davies being the two full-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich should pair up in the double pivot. Meanwhile, Thomas Muller is an automatic pick behind central striker Harry Kane in Musiala’s absence. Finally, Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman should be the two wide attackers on Friday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Mazraoui, Upamecano, Kim, Davies; Goretzka, Kimmich; Sane, Muller, Coman; Kane
Key Stats
- Bayern Munich have won their last nine games in Koln, including the corresponding fixture, which clinched the Bundesliga title last term. Never before have the Rhineland outfit experienced such a long run of defeats against one team in their stadium.
- Bayern Munich are also unbeaten against FC Koln (W16, D2), regardless of the venue, since a 3-2 win in Cologne for the Billy Goats in February 2011.
- Only in 2017/18, when they were relegated at the end of the season did FC Koln have fewer points (two) after 11 games than this season (six).
- Bayern Munich are unbeaten in 52 Bundesliga matches (W44, D8) against teams in the drop zone.
- FC Koln have the poorest attack in the Bundesliga this season (nine goals). Meanwhile, Harry Kane has netted nearly twice as many strikes as Friday’s hosts (17) while overtaking last term’s top scorers (Christopher Nkunku and Niclas Fullkrug with 16 goals each). In addition, he has equalled the best haul by an Englishman in the Bundesliga to date (Kevin Keegan in 1978/79 and Jadon Sancho in 2019/20).
Player to Watch
Leroy Sane
Harry Kane has found himself in the limelight since joining Bayern Munich, often scoring goals for fun. But the 2023/24 season has also heralded the belated advent of Leroy Sane, who has been exceptional thus far this term.
The German international had blown hot and cold after arriving from Manchester City. But he has finally showcased the qualities and output that brought him to the Allianz Arena. The excellent form has also alerted high-profile clubs, with Bayern Munich keen on keeping him at the club beyond the summer.
But the former Manchester City winger will look to continue performing at a high level, keeping the speculation in the background. FC Koln will be an attractive opponent for the 27-year-old to continue his brilliant form. And Harry Kane will be a happy man if Sane continues his superb run, as it will alleviate some of the burden on him.
Prediction
FC Koln 0-3 Bayern Munich
Friday’s match pits the worst-attacking team in the Bundesliga against the best. The visitors have scored a whopping 42 goals — a Bundesliga record after 11 games — and will fancy their chances of adding to that haul this week.
While the hosts have found their scoring boots in recent games, finding a way past Bayern Munich might be a tall order. As for Bayern, they have scored at least thrice in their last five Bundesliga outings. That form should continue on Friday, with The Hard Tackle predicting a 3-0 win for Thomas Tuchel and his charges.
