Bayern Munich face a tough test against RB Leipzig in the DFB Cup

Bayern Munich travel to Red Bull Arena to face RB Leipzig in the second round of the DFB Cup.

Bayern Munich have enjoyed a good couple of weeks under new manager Jupp Heynckes, winning their past three matches by a combined 9-0 margin. However, the German manager will face his first big test this tenure when his team travel to Leipzig.

Bayern Munich have matched Dortmund’s lead at the top of the Bundesliga after their 1-0 win over Hamburg on Saturday. Bayern didn’t quite play to their best, but they got the result. That’s what is important.

RB Leipzig have raised the bar themselves in the past few weeks after a nervy start to this season. They grabbed a huge win away from home against Dortmund just this past weekend. The Red Bulls sit third in the league as they remain just one point behind the leaders.

Team News

Bayern Munich were handed more bad news on the injury front when it was announced Thomas Muller will be sidelined for three weeks. Along with his match-winning assist, the Bavarian picked up an injury in the game against Hamburg during his short cameo. Manuel Neuer and Franck Ribery remain sidelined as well due to severe injuries, while Juan Bernat is still not completely fit enough to feature in the squad.

In the last few hours, the Bavarians suffered another blow when reports surfaced that James Rodriguez didn’t travel with the squad due to back problems. On the other hand, Javi Martinez will be able to play against Leipzig after recovering from his shoulder injury. Kingsley Coman and Mats Hummels are also fit to face Leipzig after recovering from the knocks they suffered against Hamburg.

Predicted XI

Sven Ulreich will continue to feature between the sticks in the absence of Neuer. Niklas Sule and Jerome Boateng will form the center-back pairing as Heynckes will be looking to rotate players. Joshua Kimmich and David Alaba will get no rest as they continue to play their fourth successive game since the international break ended.

Sebastian Rudy is likely to play the deeper role in the midfield while Arturo Vidal will feature as the box to box midfielder. Thiago Alcantara will replace Muller in the attacking midfield position. The Spaniard enjoys playing in that position as he is very productive in the final third.

In the attack, Heynckes has very few options due to injuries to key players. Arjen Robben will occupy the right wing role while Kingsley Coman will be deployed on the left hand side. The attacking line will be led by none other than Robert Lewandowski.

"UlreichKimmich – Sule – Boateng – AlabaRudy – VidalRobben – Thiago – ComanLewandowski"

Opposition Focus

The last time these two sides faced each other it was a breathtaking game which ended in favor of Bayern in the final minute of the game. Since then, however, Leipzig have made some decent signings and most importantly kept their star players.

Next: What to watch in the double clash between Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig

Bayern Munich have to win the midfield battle and should not allow Naby Keita to settle in the game. Keita can dictate the tempo of the game very well from the midfield. Heynckes admitted in his press conference earlier this month that Bayern needs to solidify their defense. The game against Leipzig will show the progress the defense has made under the German. Timo Werner and Emil Forsberg will be the key players Bayern should keep quiet to return home with a clean sheet.

Prediction

RB Leipzig 1-2 Bayern Munich