Bayern Munich vs. Freiburg Preview: Bundesliga Showdown Ahead

Munich, the defending champions, will want to bounce back from their latest league loss with a victory over Freiburg on Sunday.

In contrast, the visitors defeated Augsburg 2-0 last weekend to get to 10 points after six games.

Match preview

After drawing with Bayer Leverkusen by the same score earlier in the season, Bayern lost ground on the league leaders Bayer Leverkusen last weekend when they played RB Leipzig away in their second 2-2 draw of the year.

But unlike that game at the Allianz Arena, where they lost two leads, the circumstances were different. This time, they trailed 2-0 away against one of the best sides in the nation after only 26 minutes, but goals from Harry Kane and Leroy Sane in the second half ensured they would not leave Bavaria with a victory.

Midweek saw Thomas Tuchel's team rise from behind once more, as Bayern won 2-1 against Copenhagen in Denmark to keep their perfect Champions League record. After 55 minutes, Lukas Lerager had given the home team the lead. However, 12 minutes later, Jamal Musiala tied the score, and Mathys Tel, a replacement, won it in the last moments.

It is imperative that Bayern stay within striking distance of their rivals ahead of the impending international break. Should Xabi Alonso's team defeat FC Koln, as was predicted earlier in the day, Bayern could find themselves five points behind Leverkusen by the time they kickoff on Sunday.

While Christian Streich's team won the DFB-Pokal last season at the Allianz Arena, they haven't defeated Bayern in the Bundesliga since a 2-1 triumph at Europa-Park Stadion in May 2015. They'll be hoping to build on that success this Sunday.

Breisgau:Brasilianer has shown to be a formidable opponent, placing fifth and sixth in the previous two seasons and earning a spot in the Europa League each time. Nevertheless, they just missed their ultimate objectives of earning a spot in the Champions League and the club's first-ever major title when they were defeated by Leipzig on penalties in the DFB-Pokal in 2022. They therefore ended the season three points behind Union Berlin in fourth place.

Breaking into the top four may prove beyond Freiburg this season, as Leverkusen, Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund, and their upcoming opponents all appear likely to put up strong point totals. However, Freiburg's hopes of qualifying for Europe were once again bolstered when they won their most recent match against Augsburg, their first victory since late August.

After losing to West Ham United in the Europa League three days earlier, Streich and his players will be acutely aware that they need to step up their game if they hope to avoid losing in Munich on Sunday. Vincenzo Grifo scored a penalty inside the first five minutes, and Philipp Lienhart doubled the lead for his team after the break.

Team News

• Due to injuries to their arms and legs, respectively, Serge Gnabry and Manuel Neuer will not play for Bayern on Sunday. Tarek Buchmann, Matthijs de Ligt, and Gabriel Marusic are also out of the picture.
• After just making one appearance from the bench during the midweek, Leon Goretzka will almost definitely return to the hosts' engine room. Konrad Laimer is expected to take on a new role at right-back, which means Noussair Mazraoui will be sent to the bench.
• While Nicolas Hofler is currently sidelined domestically due to suspension, Freiburg is expected to travel without Yannik Keitel, Benjamin Uphoff, Max Rosenfelder, Christian Gunter, and Daniel-Kofi Kyereh owing to injuries.
• Merlin Rohl could be expected to step up alongside Maximilian Eggestein in midfield if Keitel is sidelined by a groyne injury. This would leave the visitors without a natural holding midfielder for what could be their most difficult game of the year.
• Ulreich; Laimer, Upamecano, Kim, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Sane, Musiala, Coman; Kane might be Bayern Munich's starting lineup.
• Potential starting lineup for Freiburg: Atubolu; Sallai, Doan, Grifo; Rohl; Eggestein; Ginter, Ginter, Lienhart, Kubler; Holer