Bayern Munich will aim for a routine win over Werder Bremen as Thomas Tuchel will have all his focus on closing the gap at the top.
Thomas Tuchel will not have any excuses come in the way of Bayern Munich taking all three points against Werder Bremeon on Sunday despite reports that temperatures could drop as low as -10 degrees celsius. Despite still being the outright favourites to clinch a 12th straight Bundesliga crown, the Bavarians have a lot of work ahead to achieve that.
Bayern toppled Hoffenheim with ease upon their return from the winter break last weekend. Still, Bayer Leverkusen’s late win over Augsburg meant Xabi Alonso’s side maintained a four-point advantage at the top. The Bavarians have a game in hand owing to the postponement of their fixture against Union Berlin, which will be played this midweek. Winning that and the one on Sunday will cut the lead to one point.
Thomas Tuchel’s men have a lot of work ahead, and the fans would expect a near-flawless run from here on while hoping Bayer Leverkusen falter at some stage. Die Werkself do have a tricky game against RB Leipzig, and Tuchel will want his side to take every advantage should Alonso’s men drop points on Saturday.
Some Werder Bremen fans will undoubtedly remember their team’s smashing victory over Bayern back in 2008 when they took an unassailable 5-0 lead in a terrific second-half performance. However, the Green-Whites have not won at the Allianz Arena after that, losing their following ten clashes here while conceding an incredible 49 goals.
Werder Bremen are considered the worst side in the Bundesliga on their travels, having not won any of their last 11 games on the road. That might be the case again when they come to Munich, and Tuchel will want an easy three-pointer against Ole Werner’s side.
Werder Bremen are still somewhat safe from the drop zone, garnering a six-point advantage over 16th-placed Mainz. Moreover, the relegation battlers’ clash against 15th-placed Union Berlin stands postponed, meaning neither team can cover up ground over Werder Bremen irrespective of what happens at the Allianz Arena.
Team News & Tactics
Bayern Munich
Thomas Tuchel does have a few injury problems, albeit nothing to stop the German from naming his strongest starting lineup. Defender Kim Min-jae’s departure to the AFC Asian Cup will have left a gap at the back. But Bayern have Matthijs de Ligt as cover, meaning he and Dayot Upamecano should start.
There were reports after the training camp in Portugal that both the centre-backs had picked up injuries. But Tuchel has confirmed they are in line to start against Werder Bremen. Moreover, Bayern also have the option of Eric Dier, who arrived recently from Tottenham, with the manager insisting he will be part of his squad on Sunday.
Konrad Laimer and Alphonso Davies are pencilled in for the full-back roles, as Noussair Mazraoui is away at the AFCON with Morocco. Serge Gnabry could also miss out with a muscle problem. Bouna Sarr and Tarek Buchmann will be out for the long term with severe injuries, while backup keeper Daniel Peretz has a ligament problem to deal with.
Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka are primed to take up the central midfield positions, with Thomas Muller playing in the No.10 role. Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane are best-placed to take on the wide attacking roles, with Harry Kane their undisputed star at the tip of the Bayern attack.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, de Ligt, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Sane, Muller, Musiala; Kane
Werder Bremen
Ole Werner will be missing quite a few players for this trip to Bayern Munich, although there are a few who could still make it after late assessments. Naby Keita is the only absentee due to international commitments, while Leonardo Bittencourt and Marvin Ducksch are out due to a suspension.
The pair picked up their fifth booking of the season and will miss the vital trip to Munich. Meanwhile, Milos Veljkovic and Amos Pieper have long-term issues and will certainly not take part in action in the foreseeable future.
Bremen could have Dudu back into the squad after missing the VfL Bochum game through illness. Whether he makes it into Werner’s starting lineup remains the question, as the manager might have other ideas following the last game.
Werner will continue to deploy a more pragmatic setup with three defenders and five midfielders taking the pitch. Dawid Kownacki and Rafael Borre will lead the attack for Bremen with the hope of causing Bayern defenders some trouble.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Zetterer; Stark, Freidl, Jung; Weiser, Schmid, Stage, Lynen, Deman; Kownacki, Borre
Key Stats
- Bayern Munich have won 23 of their last 24 matches against Werder Bremen in all competitions.
- Bayern Munich have scored at least two goals in 25 of their last 29 matches against Werder Bremen in all competitions.
- Werder Bremen have not won any of their last 11 away games in the Bundesliga.
- Werder Bremen have lost their last ten trips to Bayern Munich, conceding 49 times in the process.
- Werder Bremen last won against Bayern Munich in 2008.
Player to Watch
Harry Kane
There is no other story in the Bundesliga which is as big as the England captain and the impact he has had since joining them over in the summer. Kane has an incredible 26 goals and eight assists from 23 games in all competitions and plans to finish the season as one of the most prolific strikers in the continent.
For Bayern Munich, he will want to play a vital role in the second part of the season with a lot at stake. There is the Bundesliga title race as well as the all-important Champions League campaign, as Kane eyes the first trophy of his professional career this season. He will want to be the starring man in games against teams like Werder Bremen and will wish to have a good tally at the end of it.
Prediction
Bayern Munich 3-0 Werder Bremen
Ole Werner’s Werder Bremen are by far the worst team in the division when it comes to games on the road. Bayern Munich, on the other hand, have one of the most formidable recent records at home, so the result essentially predicts itself. The visitors are also not in a good run of form, although a positive result is what their manager would demand.
Thomas Tuchel will want his team to charge with full steam ahead, and they have the personnel to do it. The likes of Harry Kane and Leroy Sane could have a field day troubling the Werder Bremen defence and could find the back of the net with ease. All factors point towards a comfortable victory for Bayern to take three points to close or maintain the gap with leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
