After preserving their unbeaten run in Champions League group games on Wednesday night, Bayern Munich play host to Bundesliga strugglers Union Berlin on Saturday afternoon.
The typically hunted have become the hunters in the German top flight at the start of 2023/24 with Bayer Leverkusen making a record-breaking start to the league season. Bayern, though, remain unbeaten and currently sit just two points off Xabi Alonso’s side.
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With Union amassing only seven points from their opening 12 games, Thomas Tuchel will be hoping to oversee a stress-free afternoon this weekend.
Here’s how Bayern could lineup at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.
GK: Manuel Neuer – Neuer has been a clean sheet machine since he returned from a year-long absence. He got his first in the Champions League this season on Wednesday.
RB: Noussair Mazraoui – The Moroccan full-back missed Copenhagen’s visit due to illness but should be OK to return to the side at the weekend.
CB: Dayot Upamecano – The Frenchman has generally been less error-prone this term and is a pivotal figure at the heart of Tuchel’s defence given his recovery speed.
CB: Kim Min-jae – After missing Wednesday’s game with a hip injury, Kim was pictured in training on Thursday which suggests he’ll come back into the side on Saturday.
LB: Alphonso Davies – The Canada international has been in fine fettle this season, with his majestic form convincing Tuchel to use Raphael Guerreiro in midfield last time out. Davies isn’t going to relinquish his place.
CM: Leon Goretzka – Kim’s likely return means Goretzka won’t be required at centre-back and he should be included ahead of Konrad Laimer in the midfield pivot.
CM: Joshua Kimmich – The pass master has come in for some criticism recently, but his distribution is key to Bayern’s threat in transition.
RM: Leroy Sane – Bayern certainly lacked a hint of thrust without their star man not called Harry Kane on Wednesday. Sane was a second-half substitute against Copenhagen, but he’ll certainly start this weekend.
AM: Thomas Muller – Jamal Musial is closing in on a return to action following a brief absence, but he might not start on Saturday. With Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting likely out with a knee injury, Muller could earn rare back-to-back starts.
LM: Serge Gnabry – Gnabry has been somewhat of a peripheral figure this season, with his progress being halted by a broken arm suffered in September.
ST: Harry Kane – The prolific Englishman will be seeing this as a great opportunity to add to his goal tally given Union’s defensive struggles this season.
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