Bayern Munich will look to keep themselves alive in the title race with a win when they hit the road to square up against FC Freiburg.
Defending champions Bayern Munich have been a bit inconsistent this term, but they are still in the thick of things, and a win over SC Freiburg away from home can surely help their cause. While the visitors will look to return to winning ways having struggled in the recent past, it won’t be easy to take down the record German champions.
Freiburg are currently ninth in the Bundesliga, with 29 points out of their 23 matches. They did have a decent first half of the season but have been struggling since the end of January. They have only accumulated one point in their five league outings.
The home team have four defeats in their last five league outings, things do not really look bright for them. With only one win in the last seven games in all competitions, they will need a lot of inspiration to challenge the German giants.
Bayern Munich are currently second in the Bundesliga, with 53 points in their 23 outings. They had the opportunity to overtake Bayer Leverkusen in the title race by defeating them. But, unfortunately, they ended up getting hammered by Xabi Alonso’s team.
Die Roten are eight points behind the league leaders, having lost two out of their last three games. But, they are heading into this one on the back of a 2-1 win over RB Leipzig, and that will surely give them enough belief that they can go past the struggling home team. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
SC Freiburg
Lukas Kubler picked up an injury last weekend, and he is unlikely to be available for this fixture. The home team will also be without the services of Philipp Lienhart and Daniel-Kofi Kyereh. Meanwhile, Matthias Ginter who returned to action last week is expected to start here. There could be a change in formation from Freiburg, as they could shift from a back four to a back three for this fixture.
The home team could line up in a 3-4-3 formation, with Noah Atubolu in goal. The back three will be made up of Ginter, Nicolas Hofler, and Manuel Gulde. They will look for a clean sheet against one of the best attacks in Europe and will receive much-needed support from Ritsu Doan and Christian Gunter, who will start as the wing-backs.
In the centre of the park, Maximilian Eggestein will take charge alongside Merlin Rohl. The duo will look to control the tempo and ensure Bayern Munich do not end up dominating the proceedings. Vincenzo Grifo and Roland Sallai will feature out wide on the flanks. They will look to stretch to the opposition’s defence and create space for their striker Lucas Holer.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Atubolu; Ginter, Hofler, Gulde; Doan, Rohl, Eggestein, Gunter; Sallai, Holer, Grifo
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich are unlikely to risk Leroy Sane for this fixture, with the winger struggling with a patellar tendon issue. They have a Champions League second-leg fixture against Lazio coming up, and he will be rested with one eye on that.
With Kingsley Coman already out, protecting Sane is a must for the German giants. Sacha Boey and Noussair Mazraoui are both unavailable because of hamstring problems, while Matthijs de Ligt is suspended for this one.
Thomas Tuchel will go ahead with the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Manuel Neuer will be in goal. Joshua Kimmich and Raphael Guerreiro will be the two full-backs, while Dayot Upamecano will take charge in the heart of the defence alongside Kim Min-jae.
In the centre of the park, Aleksandar Pavlovic will pair up with Leon Goretzka. The double pivot will not only shield the back line, but they will also look to ensure they dominate the ball. Mathys Tel and Thomas Muller will feature on the flanks, while Jamal Musiala will be the creator-in-chief behind star striker Harry Kane.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kimmich, Upamecano, Kim, Guerreiro; Pavlovic, Goretzka; Tel, Muller, Musiala; Kane
Key Stats
- Bayern Munich have won 31 out of the last 39 matches played between the two teams. SC Freiburg only has two wins in that fixture.
- The German giants have won each of their last five games against Freiburg in the Bundesliga.
- The home team have been winless in their last five league games. They have only accumulated one point during that time.
- It will be Bayern’s 2000th Bundesliga fixture, making them the first team to achieve the landmark.
- Since the start of the second half of the season, Freiburg only has four points to their name. That’s the second-worst tally in the competition during this period.
Player to Watch
Jamal Musiala
At the age of 21, Musiala is already a star because of what he has achieved with Bayern Munich and the German national team. But, this season has not gone according to plan for him. He has often found himself on the bench and has not been a guaranteed starter under Thomas Tuchel. However, he still has 11 goal contributions this season and will be eager to add to it when he takes the field against Freiburg.
Prediction
SC Freiburg 1-3 Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich might have struggled in the recent past, but they have returned to winning ways and will look to build on it in their next outing. While they are not at their best, they still have a lot of firepower in their ranks, and it should be enough to get them over the line.
The home team have been struggling for a while now. They have only won one out of their last seven games in all competitions and in the league, they have been winless since the end of January which suggests they might not be able to stand against the German giants. The Hard Tackle predicts an easy 3-1 win for Bayern Munich over Freiburg.
