Bayern Munich will host FC Koln at the Allianz Arena on Saturday, desperately looking to end their recent slump.
Bayern Munich have lost their last two league matches, and they will look to get back to winning ways when they take on FC Koln at home on Saturday. Bayer Leverkusen winning the Bundesliga title is inevitable, but Die Roten will look to delay their party for as long as possible.
The home team cannot afford to drop points here, and it remains to be seen whether they can grind out a win. Meanwhile, FC Koln are 17th in the standings, and they are one of the favourites to go down. They will have to start picking up points if they want to secure safety in the top flight and the visitors cannot afford any more slip-ups.
Koln will look to take advantage of Bayern Munich’s vulnerabilities and pull off a morale-boosting result away from home. They are coming into this game on the back of a crucial 2-1 win over VfL Bochum, which was their first win in six league games.
It will be interesting to see if they can build on that performance and grind out a positive result away from home. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Bayern Munich
The German champions will be without Serge Gnabry, who is ruled out with a hamstring problem. Sacha Boey misses out with a hip injury, while Bouna Sarr and Tarek Buchmann are ruled out for the season.
Manuel Neuer will start in goal as the Bavarian giants look to shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Joshua Kimmich and Noussair Mazraoui will start as the full-backs. They will contribute at both ends of the pitch. Matthijs De Ligt will start at the heart of the defence alongside Eric Dier. They will look to keep things compact, defensively and help Bayern Munich build from the back versus Koln.
Leon Goretzka and Aleksandar Pavlovic will start in the midfield double pivot, and they will look to break up opposition attacks and add defensive cover to the side. Kingsley Coman and Jamal Musiala will start in the wide areas, and they will look to add pace, flair, and creativity from the flanks. Finally, Harry Kane will lead the line for the home team, with Thomas Muller reprising the no. 10 role.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kimmich, de Ligt, Dier, Mazraoui; Goretzka, Pavlovic; Coman, Muller, Musiala; Kane
FC Koln
The visitors have a number of injury issues to deal with. Denis Huseinbasic misses out with a muscle injury, while Faride Alidou will return later this month from his muscle injury. Davie Selke is ruled out for the season with a broken ankle, while Luca Kilian will return towards the end of the year from his ACL injury.
Florian Dietz will return next month from his shoulder injury, while Justin Diehl misses out with a hip injury and Mark Uth is sidelined with MCL damage. Eric Martel is suspended because of an accumulation of yellow cards.
Marvin Schwabe will start in goal for the visitors. Koln will start in a 4-2-3-1 formation as well against Bayern Munich. Jan Thielmann and Max Finkgrafe will start as the full-backs. They will look to protect the centre-backs and help out during counter-attacking opportunities. Timo Hubers and Jeff Chabot will form the central defensive pairing.
Dejan Ljubicic and Jacob Christensen will start in the midfield pivot, and they will look to shield the defensive unit and break up opposition attacks. Sargis Adamyan and Linton Maina will start in the wide areas, with Florian Kainz in the number ten role. They will look to create goalscoring opportunities in the final third and open up the home defence. Finally, Steffen Tigges will lead the line for the visitors.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Schwabe; Thielmann, Hubers, Chabot, Finkgrafe; Christensen, Ljubicic; Adamyan, Kainz, Maina; Tigges
Key Stats
- Bayern Munich have won 17 of their last 20 matches against FC Koln in all competitions.
- Bayern Munich have scored at least two goals in six of their last seven matches in the Bundesliga.
- 20 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two teams.
- There have been over 2.5 goals scored in nine of Bayern Munich’s last ten games in the Bundesliga.
- Bayern have conceded ten goals in the last five outings, and FC Koln have conceded 12 in that time.
Player to Watch
Harry Kane
The England international is the only player who has performed for Bayern Munich consistently this season. Kane has 32 goals and seven assists in 28 league matches, and he will look to continue his impressive run of form and get on the scoresheet once again.
The home side will need him to step up and deliver if they want to grind out all three points here. Kane has found the back of the net in seven of his last ten appearances, and he should look to pile further misery on a vulnerable away defence. The England international has 11 goals in his last ten outings for the German club and he is our key player to watch out for.
Prediction
Bayern Munich 3-1 FC Koln
Bayern Munich are undoubtedly the better team here, and they will be the favourites heading into this contest. They will be desperate to bounce back here and end their losing streak in the Bundesliga. The reigning champions will not want to give Bayer Leverkusen the opportunity to win the league title just yet.
Meanwhile, the visitors are going through a rough patch right now and despite last weekend’s win, this is a massive challenge for them away from home. Bayern Munich should be able to grind out all three points in the end. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 victory for Thomas Tuchel and his charges.
