Bayern Munich will commence the Bundesliga weekend as they embark on a journey to Europa-Park to confront Freiburg on Friday evening. In anticipation of a pivotal encounter against Lazio in the upcoming midweek European fixture, Bayern find themselves compelled to secure a victory in order to sustain their dwindling prospects of clinching the league title.
Match preview
In the aftermath of the announcement regarding the impending departure of manager Thomas Tuchel at the conclusion of the season, Bayern Munich terminated a disappointing streak of three consecutive defeats by securing a last-minute victory over RB Leipzig this past weekend.
Confronting formidable opponents, Bayern demonstrated commendable performance despite requiring a stoppage-time goal from Harry Kane. Overcoming this challenge has the potential to instill confidence within the club ahead of a pivotal week.
Heading into the encounter with Leipzig, Bayern trailed Bayer Leverkusen by 11 points, with Leverkusen having already secured a victory against Mainz in the preceding Friday fixture. While Bayern narrowed the gap with their recent triumph, there is an emerging perception that their era of dominance may be drawing to a close.
The upcoming weekend presents an opportunity for Bayern to exert pressure on Leverkusen, as they feature in the Friday fixture followed by a match against Lazio on Tuesday.
Realistically, Bayern must emerge victorious in all remaining fixtures across both competitions to salvage what has been a dismal campaign by their standards. Even then, it remains uncertain whether they can successfully defend their Bundesliga title.
Given the choice, Freiburg would likely have been considered one of the more preferable opponents for Bayern. Despite staging a comeback from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Lens in the Europa League last week, Freiburg’s performance domestically has been lackluster.
Having suffered a 2-1 defeat against Augsburg in their previous outing, Christian Streich’s side has managed to secure only one point from a possible 15, resulting in a descent to ninth place in the standings.
Recent results saw Werder Bremen and Hoffenheim surpass Freiburg in the league table, with a five-point margin separating them from sixth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.
Given their focus on the Europa League, Freiburg’s supporters were treated to a memorable night against Lens a week ago. Despite their respectable home form, having suffered only two defeats at Europa-Park in the league this season, Streich’s squad requires additional victories to secure direct qualification for European competition once again, with the impending fixture representing an opportunity to achieve such a feat.
Team news
The recent return of Matthias Ginter has provided a significant uplift for Freiburg, especially given the injury sustained by Lukas Kubler last weekend. Consequently, Ginter is expected to assume a starting position in the upcoming matches.
This adjustment is likely to prompt a tactical alteration, with Streich opting for a defensive formation featuring three at the back, while Ritsu Doan and Christian Gunter are anticipated to fulfill roles as wing-backs.
However, Freiburg continues to contend with the absence of key players such as Philipp Lienhart and Daniel-Kofi Kyereh, the latter of whom is still recuperating from a torn ACL injury.
In preparation for the forthcoming Lazio game, Bayern Munich is likely to exercise caution by resting Leroy Sane, who has been managing a patellar tendon issue in recent weeks. Preserving Sane’s fitness for the Champions League encounter assumes significance, particularly with Kingsley Coman sidelined for at least another month due to a knee injury. Consequently, Mathys Tel or Bryan Zaragoza are probable replacements for Sane in the upcoming fixture.
Furthermore, Matthijs de Ligt is unavailable due to suspension following a booking in the previous match against Leipzig. Additionally, Bayern’s defensive resources are further strained by the absence of both Sacha Boey and Noussair Mazraoui, who are currently grappling with hamstring problems.
Freiburg possible starting lineup:
Atubolu; Ginter, Hofler, Gulde; Doan, Kohl, Eggestein, Gunter; Sallai, Holer, Grifo
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Kimmich, Upamecano, Kim, Guerreiro; Pavlovic, Goretzka; Tel, Muller, Musiala; Kane