It’s time to head to Munich, where the yearly goal is to finally pick up a league win against the champions. “We haven’t won very often in Munich,” Christian Streich acknowledged. SC have won just once there, but even that wasn’t in the Bundesliga. It was in their most recent away game at the Allianz Arena that everything went to plan for SC. Freiburg ran out 2-1 winners in last season’s DFB-Pokal quarter-final, with goals from Nicolas Höfler and Lucas Höler sending them through to the last four. However, Höfler won’t be available on this occasion as the clash against FCB is the last game of his ban for his red card against Dortmund. Alongside Höfler, Michael Gregoritsch and Yannik Keitel are doubts for the game, with both having missing the Europa League meeting with West Ham. 

Aside from their win in the DFB-Pokal, SC’s record in Munich isn’t great. They are yet to win a league game at the Allianz Arena, having only previously recorded three draws, with the last of those coming in the 18/19 season. “However, that’s exactly what we’re going there to do,” said Streich, drawing attention towards the goal of a first league win in Munich. Especially given the first half performance against West Ham United, the team needs to improve, with the head coach even stating: “We need to put in an exceptionally good performance.”

Bayern yet to taste defeat 

Vincenzo Grifo put in into different words: “It’s going to be a tough game. Bayern are in good form and have a lot of individual quality.” Their results this season demonstrate that. They are still unbeaten in the league, with only Leverkusen and Leipzig – both contenders at the top of the table – respectively managing to take a point off them. Thomas Tuchel’s side have won both of their games in the Champions League, defeating Manchester United and FC Copenhagen. In short, they are unbeaten in nine games. 

Tuchel explained that they want to continue this run, but also said: “We know how hard the task is going to be. Freiburg change their shape a lot and I don’t know if you can prepare for all eventualities.”
However, it’s also clear for SC that the defence needs to come to the fore away at FCB: “We need to remain very stable and defend with everything we’ve got,” Grifo said, adding optimistically: “We’ve managed to do that well in the last couple of Bundesliga games and we need to maintain this.”

Maximilian Eggestein also knows that attacking often has to take a back seat in Munich and that winning the ball back is particularly important. The midfielder said: “It’s different to West Ham – they let us have the ball. Bayern won’t let that happen.”

Photo: Achim Keller