After securing a not-so-pretty Champions League victory in midweek, Bayern Munich return to home comforts on Saturday as they host mid-table Darmstadt in the Bundesliga.
While Bayern have enjoyed an unbeaten start to the 2023/24 season, there’s a feeling of not all being well in Thomas Tuchel’s camp. They produced an atypical Bayern performance away at Galatasaray on Tuesday night, but a late rally saw them run out 3-1 victors.
Tuchel’s men will now be expected to put Darmstadt to the sword in Bavaria this weekend and keep pace with early pace-setters Bayer Leverkusen and Stuttgart. Darmstadt sit 12th in the Bundesliga, but they’ve conceded the joint-most number of goals in the division,
Here’s 90min’s preview of Bayern’s upcoming domestic fixture.
Bayern Munich vs Darmstadt H2H Record (Last Five Games)
Current form (all competitions)
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Tuchel took a youthful squad to Istanbul in the week as a result of several senior absences, and none of Bayern’s injured stars are expected to return this weekend.
Leon Goretzka broke his wrist in the win over Mainz and will miss the next few weeks, while Raphael Guerreiro endured an injury setback over the international break.
Serge Gnabry could return to the fold, but a lack of fitness means he’s unlikely to start. It’s almost been a year since Manuel Neuer last took to the field, and it remains to be seen when he’ll make his first appearance with Tuchel at the helm.
A hamstring injury will keep Dayot Upamecano out of action.
Bayern predicted lineup vs Darmstadt (4-2-3-1): Ulreich; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Kim, Davies; Kimmich, Laimer; Sane, Muller, Tel; Kane.
The visitors could be without one of their most impressive performers of the season so far in Matthias Bader, who’s a doubt due to illness. Young defender Clemens Riedel could also miss out with a knock.
Midfielder Emir Karic is set to be out until the start of November with a muscle injury.
Darmstadt predicted lineup vs Bayern (3-4-1-2): Schuhen; Muller, Bader, Maglica; Skarke, Kempe, Holland, Nurnberger; Mehlem; Pfeiffer, Vilhelmsson.
While the underlying stats suggest the visitors have been somewhat unfortunate to concede as many as they have, Bayern will be facing up against a porous defence on Saturday.
Tuchel set out his side to cede possession and hit Galatasaray on the counter in midweek, but Bayern will return to more familiar principles in this one. They’ll seek to dominate from the outset, and while the visitors could have a sniff or two in front of goal, this should be a comfortable home win.