Bayern Munich will look to further strengthen their position at the top of the table when they hit the road to face VfB Stuttgart on Friday.
VfB Stuttgart will look to return to winning ways when they host Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich at the MHPArena on Friday. The home team are pushing for a European spot and a win against the best team in the division could do wonders for them.
Stuttgart have accumulated 36 points in their 23 matches. While they have done most things right and are just two points behind sixth-placed RB Leipzig, the home team have only won one out of their last five league games (D1 L3).
They have not been in the best of forms and will be going up against Bayern Munich on the back of a 1-1 draw against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. Stuttgart will have to punch above their weight to get something out of this game.
While Bayern Munich did have a disappointing campaign last time out, they are back on track and have an eight-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga table, having racked up 58 points in their 23 matches. Die Roten have been unbeaten in their last ten league games, winning nine of those fixtures.
The Bavarian giants are heading into this fixture on the back of a comfortable 4-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt and should not really have much difficulty going up against Stuttgart. But, they certainly take anything for granted as the home team do have it in them to script an upset. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
VfB Stuttgart
Stuttgart will be without the services of El Bilal Toure and Dan-Axel Zagadou. Apart from the duo, everyone else is available for selection. While Sebastian Hoeness’s could only secure a point in their last outing, they will most likely stick to the same XI for this fixture.
The home team will line up in a 4-4-2 formation, where Alexander Nübel will take charge in goal. Leonidas Stergiou and Maximilian Mittelstadt will be the full-backs, while Finn Jeltsch will pair up with Jeff Chabot in the heart of the defence.
Atakan Karazor will partner with Angelo Stiller in central midfield. The duo will look to shield the backline and provide a stable base to those in front of them. Jamie Leweling and Chris Fuhrich will feature as the wide midfielders but they will be a touch higher up the pitch. In the final third, Deniz Undav will start alongside Nick Woltemade.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Nubel; Stergiou, Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Leweling, Karazor, Stiller, Fuhrich; Undav, Woltemade
Bayern Munich
The visitors will be without Dayot Upamecano and Joshua Kimmich for this fixture. While Jamal Musiala’s involvement is in doubt, he could return in time to start here. Apart from him, they do have a boost as Harry Kane is back in the mix.
Against VfB Stuttgart, Bayern Munich will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Manuel Neuer will be in goal. The back four will be made up of Konrad Laimer, Eric Dier, Kim Min-jae and Alphonso Davies.
The defensive quartet will look to keep things tight at the back and will receive significant support from Leon Goretzka and Aleksandar Pavlovic who will form the double pivot in midfield. Musiala could take up the no. 10 role with Michael Olise and Leroy Sane on the flanks. England skipper Kane should lead the line for the away side.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Laimer, Dier, Kim, Davies; Goretzka, Pavlovic; Olise, Musiala, Sane; Kane
Key Stats
- Bayern Munich have been unbeaten in their last ten league games (W9 D1).
- The home team have lost three out of their last four games at the MHPArena.
- Vincent Kompany’s men have only lost one of their 11 away games in the Bundesliga.
- VfB Stuttgart suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich in the reverse fixture back in October.
- After a run of three games without a clean sheet (conceding six goals in the process), Bayern Munich have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three league games.
Player to Watch
Harry Kane
Kane bagged a second-half hat-trick in the reverse fixture, and he can certainly have a big say on the result of this fixture. With the veteran striker all set to lead the line for Bayern Munich, VfB Stuttgart will surely have a tough day at the office as the England skipper has 29 goals and 10 assists in his 32 outings in the ongoing campaign.
Prediction
VfB Stuttgart 0-3 Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich might not have produced the best of performances against Celtic in the UEFA Champions League, but they have done most things right in Bundesliga having won nine out of their last ten league outings.
Having won the reverse fixture with ease, Bayern Munich are expected to get the job done against VfB Stuttgart here without much difficulty. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-0 win for Vincent Kompany and his charges.
