Following their recent morale-boosting triumph in the Champions League, Bayern Munich is poised to resume Bundesliga competition this Saturday, hosting Mainz 05, a team currently contending with relegation concerns, at the Allianz Arena.
The Bavarian outfit aims to achieve a league double over Mainz 05 for the first time since the 2019-2020 season, having secured a 3-1 victory in the reverse fixture held in October of the preceding year.
Match preview
Bayern Munich’s aspirations to secure a significant trophy, notably the Champions League, remain viable following their triumphant reversal of a 1-0 deficit from the initial leg against Lazio. The Bavarian squad exhibited dominance on their home turf, securing a convincing 3-0 victory in the return fixture during the last 16 stage.
Despite encountering initial resistance from their Italian adversaries, Bayern Munich found breakthroughs through standout performer Harry Kane, who netted a crucial goal at the 39-minute mark, followed by Thomas Muller’s contribution, doubling the lead during first-half injury time. Kane further solidified their advantage with his 33rd goal across various competitions midway through the second half, ensuring the team’s progression to the quarter-finals under the guidance of coach Thomas Tuchel. The upcoming draw next Friday will determine their opponents in the ensuing stages of the tournament.
The Champions League campaign stands as Bayern’s primary avenue for silverware this season, given their trailing position in the Bundesliga standings, currently occupying second place with a significant 10-point gap behind the undefeated leaders, Bayer Leverkusen. Their recent setback in a 2-2 draw against Freiburg underscores the challenges in their domestic campaign.
Bayern Munich’s immediate fixtures involve encounters with the Bundesliga’s lower-ranked clubs, including a forthcoming match against Mainz, whom they have convincingly defeated in their past six home matches, notably securing a resounding 6-2 victory at the Allianz Arena in the previous season.
Mainz, under the stewardship of new head coach Bo Henriksen, have exhibited signs of resurgence, garnering four points from their recent three Bundesliga outings. However, their quest to maintain top-flight status faces considerable hurdles as they currently languish in 17th place with a meager 16 points from 10 remaining league fixtures. Despite a commendable draw against Borussia Monchengladbach last weekend, Mainz’s precarious position necessitates a decisive improvement in their performances.
The upcoming clash against Bayern Munich presents a daunting challenge for Mainz, given their historical struggles against the Bavarian side, particularly in away fixtures. Nevertheless, Mainz’s past victory over Bayern on home soil serves as a source of encouragement, highlighting the unpredictability inherent in football encounters.
Team News
Bayern Munich will face several personnel challenges as they prepare for their upcoming match. Kingsley Coman, Bouna Sarr, Noel Aseko, and Tarek Buchmann will all be sidelined due to respective knee, ankle, and thigh injuries. Additionally, Sacha Boey and Noussair Mazraoui’s availability remains uncertain as they are being evaluated for hamstring issues following their absence in the recent victory over Lazio.
Compounding these issues, Aleksandar Pavlovic will serve a one-match suspension due to accumulated yellow cards, necessitating potential changes in the lineup. Raphael Guerreiro may be shifted into midfield alongside Leon Goretzka, allowing Alphonso Davies to return to his position as left-back, amidst reported interest from Real Madrid.
Despite these setbacks, Serge Gnabry, who recently returned from a three-month injury layoff, is poised to make another appearance, albeit likely in a substitute capacity. Meanwhile, the attacking trio of Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, and Muller are expected to retain their starting roles supporting central striker Kane.
Mainz, Bayern’s opponents, are also grappling with personnel issues. Edmilson Fernandes, Maxim Leitsch, Nelson Weiper, and Stefan Bell are all unavailable due to various reasons including injury and illness, with Andreas Hanche-Olsen facing doubts due to a hamstring concern.
Further complicating matters, Jessic Ngankam, Leandro Barreiro, and Dominik Kohr will be absent due to suspension, with Anthony Caci poised to return from a one-match ban. Caci may potentially fill in for Kohr in the defensive lineup.
In light of these absences, Tom Krauss could partner Nadiem Amiri in central midfield, while Lee Jae-sung and Brajan Gruda are anticipated to continue their roles in advanced positions supporting Burkardt upfront, who has been in good form with two goals in his last three starts.
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Laimer, De Ligt, Kim, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Sane, Muller, Musiala; Kane
Mainz 05 possible starting lineup:
Zentner; Van den Berg, Guilavogui, Caci; Widmer, Krauss, Amiri, Mwene; Gruda, Lee; Burkardt